FIFA are keen to introduce new rules regarding effective playing time ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Effective playing time has become a hot topic in recent years as many complain that some games hardly even feature 60 minutes of actual play on the ball. A CIES Football Observatory carried out recently found that the ball is only in active play for 60.2% of the match on average in the Champions League.
As reported by Corriere dello Sport, FIFA want to increase the amount of effective playing time in matches ahead of the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, but first they’ll have to receive the green light from IFAB, the body that governs the laws of football.
Current estimations suggest that matches in the 2022 World Cup could feature at least ten minutes of extra time in order to solve this issue. Confirmation of this proposal came directly from FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who recently visited Italy.