2 days ago
Tired players face 100-minute games as Fifa ignores Club World Cup fears
Fifa has ignored pressure from players and unions and will use stoppage-time rules at the Club World Cup that are likely to make some games last more than 100 minutes.
Pierluigi Collina, the Fifa referees' chief, said officials have been told to compensate for any time lost to injuries, goal celebrations, penalties or red cards. The same rules were in place at the 2022 World Cup, when England's game against Iran lasted 117 minutes.
Collina also revealed that assistant referees have been told to be 'braver' in raising their flag for obvious offsides — and that a new semi-automated offside system will alert them when a player is ten centimetres or more offside.
Players unions are already concerned about the demands on individuals of a big new summer tournament and Uefa took a more relaxed approach for Euro 2024. Former Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has been among those who criticised the longer matches.
Collina said that match officials had been told to encourage games to restart quicker, which should reduce stoppage time, but that the strict approach would still be applied.
'This is the Laws of the Game, that there are losses of time that should be compensated at the end of the match,' Collina said. 'They are simply compensating for time when the ball was off. The objective is to make the game more enjoyable and entertaining. There is nothing entertaining with the ball not being on the field of play. So, certainly, the time loss will be compensated.
'By being proactive to restart play quicker at throw-ins, goal kicks, corners and free kicks, the time added would be reduced, probably.'
The 2022 World Cup had an average stoppage time of a little more than 11min 30sec, more than double the previous tournament in Russia in 2018. Premier League matches were nearly two minutes shorter last season than the previous year after instructions to referees to be less strict on stoppage time, which was down from 11min 35sec to 9min 53sec for matches played between August and February.
Collina also revealed that match officials should raise their flag if a player is 10cm or more offside rather than leave it to the VAR. It follows the Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi being injured when play was allowed to continue despite Anthony Elanga being clearly offside in the build-up. Awoniyi collided with the goalpost as he tried to reach Elanga's cross and had surgery on a serious abdominal rupture.
At the Club World Cup, a new semi-automated offside system will send a message to the assistant referee when a player is 10cm offside or more so they can raise their flag immediately. 'We have encouraged our referees to be a bit braver with offside,' Collina said.
The Club World Cup will also see referees wear body cameras for the first time as part of a trial. The footage will be available to broadcasters to use for goal replays and will also be available to VARs if required.
