Written by Steffen Paulsen
Is this new rule going to change soccer forever?
A new rule has been introduced in the World Cup, and people seem to like it. How has it affected the
game, and will it still be used when the World Cup is over?
Time wasting has always been a big debate and a problem for many. In 2017, a game between Burnley
vs West Brom only had 47 minutes and 40 seconds of actual playing time, which is crazy considering a
game is 90 min. Stats have shown that actual playing time in MLS, Premier League, La Liga, etc. is
normally around 55-65 minutes per game. Referees have always gotten criticized for not adding on as
much time as they should, because faking an injury, walking slowly off the pitch when substituted, has
been worth it. But during this World Cup, it was decided to minimize time wasting. In this World Cup, the
referees have been very strict, adding every single second that’s been wasted. We have seen 6+
minutes added on in almost half of the games that have been played, and even some have had over 14+
min added time.
Is time wasting a part of the game, or should they start to get punished for it?
Since time wasting has been such a big problem in soccer over the years, discussions about whether a
game of soccer should be 60 minutes instead of 90 minutes are very relevant right now, as they are
starting 60-min soccer matches trials in lower divisions around Europe. This means that the referee stops
the clock every single time the ball goes out of play. Would this be a good idea, or is the “90 min of
football” too iconic to be taken away? I personally think that a game of football should be 90 minutes, just
that the referees have to be much stricter and add the correct amount of time, as they have done at this
World Cup. The more they add on at the end of the game, the fewer players will time waste or fake an
injury, as it would not be worth it anymore.
When the World Cup is over, and when we go back to playing normal leagues again, will the referees
continue to have zero tolerance of time wasting, or will they go back to normal, where they may be only
added on 3-4 minutes at the end of the game? They will definitely continue with the old way at least until
the season is over, but maybe in summer there can be changes for the next season! The more people
talk positive about it, the more chances are there for the rule to be changed.