Spanish football will face the new season with major changes to how the regulations are applied. The Technical Committee of Referees has presented a package of measures that affects VAR, time losses, protests, substitutions, and several ways of restarting play.
The main goal of the CTA is to provide more tools to match officials and reduce situations that disrupt the pace of games. The 2026/27 season will bring special monitoring of deliberate time-wasting and new competencies for video refereeing.
The 16 rules, one by one
The VAR will be able to intervene when the referee sanctions the wrong player for an identity error, both with a yellow card and with a red.
Video refereeing will also be able to correct a corner kick awarded in clearly erroneous fashion, as long as it is done before the match is restarted.
The second yellow cards may be reviewed if there is a clear and obvious error in the referee's decision.
Players who cover their mouths to hide what they are saying during a protest, argument, or confrontation may be cautioned. This is known as the Vinicius rule.
Players who receive medical attention must leave the field and remain off the pitch for a real minute after play is restarted, unless the regulations provide for specific cases.
In substitutions, the player being replaced will have a maximum of ten seconds to leave the playing area from the referee's authorization.
If the substituted player exceeds that time, the player coming on will not be able to do so until the next stoppage, once a real minute has been completed.
The goalkeepers being substituted must leave the field via the byline. If they delay the change, they can be shown a yellow card.
When a goalkeeper receives medical assistance, the coach will have to designate an outfield player to leave temporarily for at least one minute.
If the coach does not choose that player within ten seconds, sit will be the captain who must leave the playing area automatically.
Referees will carry out a visual countdown of five seconds when a team deliberately delays a throw-in.
If the throw-in is not taken within the allotted time, possession will be given to the opposing team.
In goal kicks, there will also be a five-second countdown when time-wasting is detected.
If the delay occurs during a goal kick, the punishment will be a corner kick for the opposing team.
In penalties with an accidental double touch by the taker, the kick will be retaken if it ends in a goal. If it does not go in, it will be considered missed.
Drop balls will be awarded to the team that would most likely have kept or regained possession before the stoppage.
The regulations also introduce other important clarifications. If a goalkeeper plays the ball inside his area and then a teammate deliberately touches it with his hand, a penalty will be awarded.
Cooling breaks may only be applied when the temperature reaches 32 degrees and they have been authorized before the start of the match. There will be no automatic hydration breaks, although the referee may allow players to drink water during natural stoppages if the weather conditions make it advisable.
