Sky Bet EFL 2023/24: New time keeping measures to be introduced for accurate calculation of additional time

The EFL will clamp down on time-wasting this season to ensure "the exact time lost when certain game events occur will now be added".

The change in the way added time is calculated was adopted during the men's World Cup in Qatar at the end of last year and is the same for the Women's World Cup currently taking place in Australia and New Zealand.

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Time will be added when the following happens:

• Goals and subsequent celebrations
• Substitutions
• Injuries and treatment time (if required)
• Penalties (from moment of offence to the whistle for the penalty kick)
• Red cards (from moment of offence to when the player leaves the field)

A multi-ball system will also be implemented, while officials will take a more robust approach to deal with "clear/deliberate actions that are impactful in delaying the restart of play, with players cautioned if they are guilty of delaying the restart and/or failing to respect the required distance at free-kicks."

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In addition, to aid the new time keeping approach, players who require assessment on the pitch for a potential injury will be required to receive treatment off the pitch, unless:

• A goalkeeper is injured.
• A goalkeeper and an outfield player have collided and need attention.
• Players from the same team have collided and need attention.
• A severe injury has occurred.
• A player is injured as the result of a physical offence for which the opponent is cautioned or sent off (e.g. reckless or serious foul challenge), if the assessment/treatment is completed quickly.
• A penalty has been awarded and the injured player will be the taker.

When play restarts a player will not be allowed to re-enter the pitch for a minimum of 30 seconds, under the new rules.

And in circumstances where a player decline help from a physio, if a team-mate clearly delays or refuses to re-start the game, that team-mate will be given a yellow card. The EFL says this will "promote player safety" and act as a deterrent to players who request attention as a tactic to waste time or break the momentum of the game.

Earlier this year, the EFL also confirmed using a towel to dry a ball before a throw-in would be banned from the start of 2023/24.

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