Football matches to be reduced from 90 minutes under radical proposal submitted to IFAB Professional football has been 90 minutes for our whole lifetimes but that’s all about to change 😳 FOOTBALL IS CHANGING 😲
A potential landmark change in football could soon be introduced, driven by a relationship between two prominent Premier League figures.
David Dein, former vice-chairman of Arsenal, is advocating for a proposal that could reduce the standard length of a football match from 90 minutes.
Since leaving Arsenal, Dein has maintained a close friendship with Arsène Wenger, the club’s legendary manager with whom he worked for over a decade. Their bond has endured for almost 30 years.
Wenger, now serving as FIFA’s head of global football development and a key figure on the International Football Association Board (IFAB), is likely to give serious consideration to Dein’s suggestion. Dein argues that accurately calculating stoppage time is unrealistic and proposes changing match formats to two 30-minute halves, with the clock pausing during interruptions.
Speaking on talkSPORT’s Sunday Edition, Dein, now 81, shared his views: “I’ve asked Premier League referees if the stoppage time calculated by the fourth official is precise to the last 10 seconds, and they all agree it’s not.”
He added, “We need more transparency on match duration. My suggestion is simple: in most Premier League and Western European games, the actual ball-in-play time is between 55 and 57 minutes.
“I propose two halves of 30 minutes where the clock stops during interruptions to ensure the game time is clear and exact.”
Dein highlighted the 2024 Euro final between England and Spain, pointing out that over nine minutes of playing time were lost, yet only four minutes were added. He explained, “Things like goal celebrations, VAR checks, injuries, and substitutions can easily total up to 10 minutes. However, these aren’t fully accounted for in stoppage time.
“I believe the clock should stop whenever play is delayed.”
Dein also mentioned that he had discussed the idea with Premier League referees Howard Webb and Anthony Taylor, both of whom supported the concept. He now hopes IFAB will consider trial
ing the proposal.
