From wasting time to video interventions: wholesale changes before the start of the Egyptian league

The Egyptian Football Association announced today, Thursday, the new rule amendments that will be applied in the Premier League starting from the 2026-2027 season, which kicks off tomorrow, Friday.

The changes cover substitutions and injuries, the introduction of Video Assistant Referee “VAR” technology, a countdown for taking certain kicks and throw-ins, the captain protocol, and players leaving the pitch in protest against the referee’s decisions.

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The amendments were as follows:

The 10-second rule

The substituted player must leave the pitch within 10 seconds of the signal to make a substitution.

If they don’t, the substitute can only enter at the first stoppage after one minute.

The injured player leaving the field of play

A player who is assessed or treated on the pitch, or for whose injury play was stopped, must leave the pitch for one minute after play resumes. This article doesn’t apply in the following cases:

• The injured player is the goalkeeper.
• A collision of players from the same team.
• A serious head injury.
• A player injured by an opponent who was cautioned or sent off.
• A penalty kick is awarded and the injured player is the one who will take it.
• The player leaves the pitch voluntarily without delaying the resumption of play.

The VAR intervenes in the following cases:

• An incorrect red card resulting from a clearly wrong second yellow card.
• Showing a red or yellow card to a player by mistake, when the offence was committed by another player.
• A corner kick awarded incorrectly, if the decision can be changed immediately and without delaying the resumption of play.

The drop-ball

The dropped ball goes to the team that would have taken the restart had play continued.

Law 10/14

Touching the ball twice when taking a penalty in a shootout.

The kick resulting from an unintentional double touch is retaken if the penalty in the shootout is scored.

An indirect free-kick is awarded against the kicking team from the location of the offence if the penalty is not scored.

It counts as a missed penalty from the shootout if it isn’t scored.

The 5-second countdown

Deliberately delaying a throw-in or a goal kick hands the throw to the opposing team, or awards a corner kick.

The referee counts down 5 seconds clearly with their hand raised.

The captain

Applying the captain protocol during the game to improve control of the match.

Leaving the pitch in protest against the referee’s decision

Should players leave the field of play in protest against the referee’s decision, the referee must show a red card to any player who walks off in protest, or to any team official who incites the players to leave the pitch.

The team that causes the match to be abandoned will lose.

Accessories

Accessories are permitted if they aren’t dangerous and are safely covered. The term “jewellery” has been replaced with “accessories”.

These changes come as part of the referees’ committee’s preparations for the new season. The referees’ training camps went through the latest amendments to the laws of the game and unified the approach to refereeing situations.

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