The Argentine Football Association (AFA) presented on Monday the new rules of play that will come into effect in local competitions starting with the final of the Supercopa Argentina between Estudiantes and Independiente Rivadavia, scheduled for July 21, and which will then be officially implemented in the 2026 Clausura Tournament and in the rest of the categories of Argentine football.
With this goal in mind, a meeting led by the Technical Management of the National Arbitration Directorate was held at the Ezeiza facility, attended by captains, vice-captains, and coaches from the 30 teams in the Primera División. Subsequently, the same training was conducted with representatives from the clubs in the lower divisions.
The presentation was given by the technical manager Fernando Rapallini, the chief instructor Mauro Vigliano, the chief assistant Ezequiel Brailovsky, and the international referee Nicolás Ramírez, who explained the modifications approved by the IFAB and used during the 2026 World Cup.
One of the most important changes aims to prevent deliberate time-wasting. From now on, when a player delays a throw-in or a goal kick, the referee will start a five-second countdown. If the time expires, the team will lose possession in the case of a throw-in, while if it is a goal kick, the opponent will be awarded a corner kick.
