Fifa's referee chief Pierluigi Collina introduced new measures to reduce time-wasting at the 2026 World Cup, resulting in shorter match durations.
The stoppage-time boards used to trigger groans from fans, with fourth officials often displaying 10, 11, or even 12 minutes. Even when accounting for three-minute hydration breaks, added time often showed only five or six minutes. Pierluigi Collina, Fifa’s referees’ chief, has been pushing to combat time-wasting, abandoning his earlier approach of adding every second at the last tournament. In Qatar, matches averaged over 100 minutes, but without hydration breaks at this event, they now average 96 minutes.
Collina implemented several measures to increase match tempo, including five-second countdowns for goal-kicks and throw-ins. Teams were also limited by a 10-second clock on substitutions and required to remove injured players for one full minute. These changes have been positively received in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The goal is to reduce disruptions to match flow by ensuring players stick to time limits. Collina stated, 'The objective is to eliminate, as much as possible, the disruption of the tempo of the match.' So far, behavior has changed, with only one goal-kick converted to a corner due to a team exceeding the time limit during their 1-1 draw with Portugal. No substitutions have been denied because players failed to leave the field quickly enough.
The threat of playing with 10 men for a minute has acted as a deterrent, reducing unnecessary stoppages. Referees have also been quicker to insist injured players leave the field, even without a physio present. The introduction of faster substitutions means they now happen within 10 seconds, often during stoppage time without adding extra minutes.
Tactical time-outs for goalkeepers have been banned, improving match flow. While video assistant referees still check corners, Fifa’s enhanced technology and increased officials have not disrupted games. The changes aim to maintain a steady pace throughout the match.
The key measure of success is ball-in-play time, previously targeted at 60 minutes but rarely achieved. In Qatar, Fifa recorded 58 minutes and 3 seconds of actual football despite extensive stoppage time. At this World Cup, matches average 96 minutes and 8 seconds, shorter than either the 102 minutes 43 seconds in Qatar or 96 minutes 54 seconds in Russia, all with four on-field VAR reviews.
In Russia, ball-in-play time was 54 minutes and 50 seconds, rising to 58 minutes and 8 seconds in Qatar with added stoppage time. This World Cup’s ball-in-play time is 57 minutes and 22 seconds. However, the relative ball-in-play percentage is highest in 2026 at 59.38%, compared to 56.86% in Qatar and 56.25% in Russia. Early signs suggest Collina’s strategy is working, though long-term effects remain to be seen.
While the 2026 World Cup shows promising results, the same impact may be harder to maintain across 380 Premier League matches. The strategy’s success will depend on sustained player discipline and referee enforcement. Fifa’s approach could reshape timekeeping standards in global football if proven effective.