Gary Neville Commends FIFA's New Time-Limited Substitution Rule for 2026 World Cup

Gary Neville has expressed strong approval for FIFA's introduction of several significant rule changes ahead of the 2026 World Cup, emphasizing their potential to reduce time-wasting and enhance transparency during matches.

The tournament, which begins Thursday with Mexico hosting South Africa, will feature new regulations including a 10-second limit on substitutions and a five-second countdown for throw-ins and goal-kicks. Teams that fail to comply face a one-minute penalty playing with one fewer player, a sanction already imposed on Iceland during a preparatory match against Japan.

On the program The Overlap, Neville described the time-limited substitutions as an “unbelievable introduction,” criticizing players for deliberately slowing down exits from the field. He stated, “The players and teams are gaming the system. You can criticise FIFA for many things but I do think they get their referee stuff right.” He added that these changes will improve the game for supporters.

Regarding the throw-in countdown, Neville said he fully supports the measure, noting the excessive delays seen in the Premier League last season. He remarked, “The ball is out of play for so long” due to teams taking extended time to prepare for set-pieces across all levels of English football, from League Two to the Premier League.

Another new rule prohibits players from covering their mouths during disputes to increase transparency, following a controversial Champions League incident involving Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior. Ian Wright endorsed this measure, calling it “a good rule” that prevents players from hiding their conversations.

Conversely, Roy Keane expressed concerns about player welfare under the new pace-of-play rules, especially given the intense heat expected at some venues. He commented, “It’s strange they’ve brought them in now when we’re talking about the conditions being so tough for the players. If ever players will want to slow the game down it will be now given the heat in some of these venues.”

Coaches will need to adjust their tactics rapidly to comply with these regulations, which also include mandatory three-minute hydration breaks each half. Teams such as England and defending champions Argentina, who start their campaigns on Wednesday, will have additional time to observe how referees implement the new countdowns during earlier matches. The effectiveness of these rules will be tested by whether teams can sustain high-tempo play without incurring automatic one-minute player penalties.