In English soccer, goalkeepers will be penalized for feigning injuries
The English soccer leagues are introducing a new rule aimed at combating goalkeepers’ feigned injuries. If a goalkeeper needs assistance from a physical therapist during a match, his team will be down a player for one minute.
Under the new rules, once medical staff enter the field, the coach will have 10 seconds to designate a field player to temporarily leave the field. If this does not happen, the team captain will leave the field.
However, this new rule will not apply in cases of serious injuries, such as concussions or bleeding, nor in situations where play has not been stopped.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) will evaluate the trial of the new rule. If deemed successful, the rule could be implemented worldwide as early as the 2027–2028 season.
One of the reasons for the changes was an incident in November 2025, when Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of deliberately feigning an injury during a match that ended in a 3-2 victory for City.
This was reported by BBC Sport.
As a reminder, FIFA named the goal scored by Cape Verde defender Sidney Cabral the best goal of the 2026 World Cup. The player, whose team sensationally knocked Argentina out of the tournament, received this prestigious recognition for his spectacular goal.
The Ukrainian 7-a-side soccer team won the European championship title for the first time in history. In the final match of the continental championship, the “Blue and Yellows” defeated the tournament hosts—the Italian team.
