June 12 – The 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship kicks off in Slovakia with a major change to the rules – and it could have a big impact on goalkeepers.
Starting in yesterday’s opening round, if a goalkeeper holds the ball for more than eight seconds, the referee will award a corner kick to the opposing team. This replaces the old rule, where the punishment was just an indirect free kick after six seconds – though it was perhaps the most flexible law in sport and was rarely enforced.
UEFA will also introduce a visible five-second countdown, shown by the referee, to signal to goalkeepers that time is running out. If opposing players interfere during the countdown, the referee can stop the clock and give an indirect free kick instead.
The rule change was approved by IFAB in March and will now apply to all UEFA competitions going forward, with the U21 Euros its Guinea Pig.
While UEFA says the move is to speed up the game, critics question whether it’s completely necessary – or if it will just lead to more confusion and controversy in a refereeing landscape that’s has already left a lot to be desired since the implementation of VAR.
The rule could have a big effect on games if not taken seriously. Giving away a corner kick for holding the ball could dramatically swing tight matches, especially in tournaments like this which follow a knockout format.
IFAB also issued a recent clarification that accidental “double-touch” penalties should lead to a retake after Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez had one ruled out in the UEFA Champions League knockout round against city rivals Real.
With these changes, UEFA continues to test out rule adjustments on the biggest stages with a view to improving the game.
The tournament opened as Slovakia were defeated 3-2 by favourites Spain, who nicked a last minute winner. Italy and Georgia also collected three points over Romania and Poland respectively, whilst Portugal and France held each other to a goalless draw.
Contacts the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1749797471labto1749797471ofdlr1749797471owedi1749797471sni@g1749797471niwe.1749797471yrrah1749797471
Focus on goalkeepers at UEFA Under 21 Euros
