Soccer laws panel to discuss 25-minute halftime for shows

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This article was published 15/10/2021 (1762 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ZURICH (AP) — A request to increase halftime breaks to 25 minutes for Super Bowl-style entertainment shows will be discussed this month, soccer’s lawmaking panel IFAB said Friday.

South American soccer body CONMEBOL made the request last month suggesting it would work for cup finals like its Copa Libertadores competition.

Law 7 of soccer currently states “players are entitled to an interval at halftime, not exceeding 15 minutes.”

The International Football Association Board rules panel put the CONMEBOL request on the agenda for its expert advisers to discuss Oct. 27 at meetings being held remotely.

In 2009, a FIFA proposal to extend halftime from 15 to 20 minutes was rejected. It was criticized as a commercial move though FIFA cited the increasing time taken for players to reach locker rooms from the field.

The expert meetings this month will also get updates from ongoing trials to use temporary substitutes for players with suspected head injuries and the offside law.

The IFAB panel comprises the four British soccer federations and FIFA delegates. A business meeting is held in November to shape the agenda for a lawmaking annual session in February or March.

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