UEFA enforces new goalkeeper time limit rule at Under-21 Championship

With the start of the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Slovakia today, UEFA will enforce an amendment to Law 12.2 of the Laws of the Game – approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) on 1 March 2025. Under this new rule, if a goalkeeper holds the ball for more than eight seconds, the referee will award a corner kick to the opposing team. This replaces the previous sanction of an indirect free kick for holding the ball beyond six seconds. The referee will also use a visible five-second countdown to signal the final portion of the time limit.

UEFA’s guidelines for referees to implement the new rule include:

• The eight-second count begins when the goalkeeper has full control of the ball and is not being challenged by an opposing player.

• The referee will visibly count down the final five seconds, ensuring the goalkeeper can see the countdown.

• If opponents begin to pressure or obstruct the goalkeeper during the countdown, the referee will stop the count and award an indirect free kick in favour of the goalkeeper.

This rule will now apply to all UEFA competition matches starting today.

Earlier this month, UEFA implemented the IFAB clarification to Law 14 of the Laws of the Game, addressing instances where a player taking a penalty kick touches the ball twice.