Under the reported guidance, a player being replaced will have 10 seconds to leave the field in normal circumstances. If officials judge that the player has deliberately delayed the restart, the substitute may be held back.
That could leave the team with 10 men for at least one minute, and until the next break in play after that period. A routine late substitution would therefore become more than a question of managing the clock. It could briefly weaken the team trying to protect a lead.
Managers will need outgoing players to move directly towards the touchline, while substitutes must be ready to enter without adding to the delay.
The report says any player requiring treatment will have to leave the pitch for a minimum of one minute. That creates a clear cost for teams that rely on stoppages to disrupt an opponent’s momentum.
Throw-ins will also be monitored. Players taking more than five seconds to restart play could receive a yellow card, giving referees a specific sanction for repeated delays.
The impact will depend heavily on consistency. Early bookings could quickly force players to change established habits, while uneven enforcement would risk confusion for clubs and officials.
The opening match will provide a useful measure of how quickly players adapt. A slow substitution, delayed treatment or prolonged throw-in could bring the new approach into focus before the season has settled.
The next storyline will be whether the crackdown produces quicker restarts and less added time, or whether early matches are dominated by arguments over the referee’s interpretation.