MLS time-saving rules poised for global rollout ahead of the World Cup
MLS Next Pro's two time-wasting rule experiments—the 10-second timed substitution and the 15-second off-field treatment—are expected to be adopted globally by Ifab ahead of the 2026 World Cup. In MLS and MLS Next Pro, injury stoppages fell about 72% (to roughly 1.5 per match from 5–6), and in 2025 there were 12 violations across 4,346 substitutions, underscoring the rules’ impact. The changes have already influenced MLS's Leagues Cup, with examples like Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez illustrating the enforcement, and Ifab is also weighing other tweaks such as goal-kick/throw-in time-wasting and potential VAR adjustments.