Football’s lawmakers have effectively shelved Arsene Wenger’s radical offside proposal but agreed a series of other key changes that could reshape matches at the 2026 World Cup.
The IFAB meeting in London focused on offside experiments, VAR usage and new measures to clamp down on time-wasting and medical interruptions.
Wenger, now FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, had suggested a new interpretation where an attacker is only offside if their entire body is ahead of the last defender.
However, UEFA and the four British associations strongly opposed the idea, warning it would “create chaos” for defensive lines, and IFAB chose not to move forward, limiting it to ongoing small-scale trials such as in the Canadian Premier League.
Instead, IFAB opened the way for a targeted expansion of VAR: competitions may allow video review of clearly incorrect corner-kick decisions, provided it happens immediately and without stopping play. This exception could be implemented as early as the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
There is also broad support for letting VAR check second yellow cards that lead to a sending-off and situations where the wrong player is booked or sent off. To fight time-wasting, IFAB and FIFA want stricter countdowns: goalkeepers already face an 8-second limit on holding the ball, and similar timers are planned for throw-ins and goal kicks, with possession awarded to the opponent if the restart is delayed.
Another tested measure would force players receiving on-field treatment to leave the pitch for a set period, though there is disagreement over whether that should be two minutes or closer to 30 seconds.
IFAB also clarified the “double touch” rule on penalties after recent Champions League controversy and backed the use of referee bodycams in certain competitions.
All proposals are due for final approval on 28 February, with most changes set to take effect from 1 July 2026 and potentially in time for the World Cup.
