English football's major governing bodies have agreed to trial a new rule intended to eliminate goalkeepers' tactical timeouts, a practice that has become increasingly widespread and controversial. Under the trial, whenever a goalkeeper receives medical attention, the coaching staff must remove an outfield player from the field for one minute; if no player is selected within ten seconds, the captain must leave. This approach mirrors existing requirements for injured outfield players and directly addresses the loophole where goalkeepers signal for treatment whilst appearing minimally injured, enabling their team to hold tactical discussions and disrupting opposing momentum.

The agreement among the FA, Premier League, English Football League, National League, and Women's Super League follows discussions with referees' body Pro Ref, with final approval from the International Football Association Board still required. If cleared in time, the first trial match will occur on 1 August in the Carabao Cup preliminary round between Tranmere and Rochdale. The rule operates as a proactive deterrent, making teams reluctant to sacrifice field advantage in critical moments such as the closing stages of matches. Australia's A-League will trial a similar measure requiring the captain to always leave the field rather than leaving it to coach discretion.