FIFA Introduces New Rule Just Three Weeks Before AFCON 2025, CAF Yet to Respond
- FIFA is introducing new rules that mandate injured players to leave the pitch for two minutes during treatment
- The rule by the football governing body aims to reduce time-wasting and keep matches flowing in competitive games
- CAF and other football bodies are yet to react, with the AFCON starting in three weeks in Morocco
Just three weeks before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, FIFA has introduced a new rule that could significantly impact teams during matches.
Pierluigi Collina, head of FIFA’s referees committee, revealed the rule during a recent interview, almost a year after it proposed the 'challenge card' rule.
Source: Getty Images
Under the new rule, any player receiving medical attention on the field must leave the pitch for two minutes, leaving their team temporarily with ten players.
Collina explained that the goal is to curb time-wasting and keep games moving.
In recent years, stoppages for minor injuries or tactical delays have frustrated fans, coaches, and players alike, prompting FIFA to introduce this change.
According to Morocco World News, the rule will initially be tested at the 2025 Arab Cup, and depending on its success, it could extend to other competitions, including the Africa Cup of Nations and potentially the FIFA World Cup.
How the new FIFA rule works
While the new rule may sound strict, FIFA has outlined key exceptions to protect fairness.
Players with serious injuries that prevent them from continuing can be substituted immediately, avoiding any two-minute absence, Foot Africa reports.
Additionally, if the opponent causing the incident is booked or sent off, the injured player does not need to leave the pitch.
Goalkeepers are also exempt from the two-minute rule, as their temporary absence could severely disrupt the balance of the game.
For outfield players, however, teams will need to adapt quickly to a short-term numerical disadvantage, which could influence tactics and match outcomes.
Collina emphasised that this initiative reflects FIFA’s ongoing effort to modernise football and address issues that have long frustrated stakeholders at all levels of the sport.
The governing body hopes that the rule will strike a balance between player safety and maintaining the natural flow of matches.
Could the new rule impact AFCON 2025?
The introduction of this rule could affect Nigeria and other nations participating in the 2025 AFCON, which kicks off on December 21st in Morocco.
Source: Getty Images
Nigeria, aiming to secure a fourth continental title after missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, will need to prepare for scenarios where a key player might be temporarily absent due to the two-minute rule.
CAF, the Confederation of African Football, has not yet confirmed whether the rule will be implemented for the tournament.
Coaches may need to adjust their strategies, particularly if the new rule applies to quick substitutions and mid-match player management.
For teams with star players who are injury-prone, this rule introduces an additional tactical challenge.
Nigeria, boasting talents like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Alex Iwobi, will need to factor in potential short-term numerical disadvantages while maintaining their attacking and defensive structures.
CAF releases new rules for playoffs
In another development, Legit.ng reported Confederation of African Football (CAF) released updated match rules before the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-off between Nigeria and Gabon.
The announcement clarified how the single-leg encounter was decided and what procedures governed one of Africa’s most anticipated qualifiers.
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