The Premier League is set to include three new rules for next season including a key rule about VAR, according to a report in the Mirror.
The International Football Association Board have made three rule changes that are set to be incorporated in the Premier League come next season.
The new rules will see referees spend more time watching the pitch-side monitors while reviewing decisions that go to VAR.
The Premier League has been criticised for allowing VAR officials to make the final decision in a VAR review, stating that the on-field official should have the final say in such a matter.
The rules also include a reassessment of handball decisions and penalties where the goalkeeper comes off his line or when players encroach the penalty area during the taking of a spot-kick.
The statement from the IFAB said:
“Where a reviewable incident is subjective, the expectation is that the referee will undertake an ‘on-field review’,”
“It was furthermore agreed that more insight into the decision-making process, for example access to the conversation between match officials during a review, would not be appropriate at this point, but that more effort should be made to enhance existing communication approaches to improve understanding of the review process and the referee’s final decision.”
“Accidental handball by an attacking player should only be penalised if it ‘immediately’ results in a goal or an obvious opportunity for the player and/or their team to score a goal (i.e. following the handball, the ball travels only a short distance and/or there are very few passes),”
“For the purposes of determining handball offences, the ‘arm’ stops at the bottom of the armpit.”
From next season onwards, penalties are to be re-taken if the goalkeeper is deemed to come off his line – but only if the penalty is saved. If the penalty misses the target it will not be retaken.
While if players encroach the penalty area as a penalty is being taken, it will lead to a retake regardless of whether the penalty is scored or missed.
The IFAB have also been working on the offside law so that they can rule correctly for tight offside calls referred to as ‘armpit offsides’, according to the report.