📖 Here are the new refereeing rules for the 2025/26 season | OneFootball

The RFEF has just published the latest circular for referees with the criteria that will govern the new season in Spanish football.

We review the most notable points:

Monitoring goalkeepers' time-wasting

The UEFA rule on the time a goalkeeper can hold the ball comes into effect, which is now 8 seconds.

If exceeded, the opponent will take a corner instead of an indirect free kick. The referee will count down with their hand and will only stop if the goalkeeper is under pressure or obstructed. In that case, there will be an indirect free kick in favor of the goalkeeper.

Goodbye to the double touch in penalties

To correct situations like Julián Álvarez's last season, if the kicker accidentally hits the ball with both feet or the supporting foot, the referee will decide whether to retake the shot or give the ball to the other team.

Everything will depend on the outcome of the play: if it's a goal, the shot will be retaken. If not, there will be an indirect free kick for the defending team.

If it happens in a shootout, the shot will count as missed.

Only the captain speaks

On the field, only the captain can speak to the referee to ask for explanations. Group protests will be sanctioned, and the behavior of the benches will also be monitored.

More vigilance on handballs and holding

It is better explained which handballs are fouls and which are not. Holding in the area will also be more closely monitored. VAR will only come into play if there is a very clear error.

For the very controversial handballs in unnatural positions, they will be considered if the hand or arm is clearly detached and away from the body and arms above the shoulder.

It will not be considered a handball when: natural position, hands close to the body, hand supporting or moving towards support, hand after the player plays the ball themselves, hand after a teammate's clearance, goal after accidental handball by a teammate.

Contacts and stomps

Referees will differentiate between normal game collisions and dangerous actions. Accidental stomps will not be punished unless they prevent a goal-scoring opportunity.

In plays where the player touches the ball before contacting the opponent, only reckless actions will be sanctioned with a direct free kick or penalty and the pertinent warnings.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

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