Ethan Ampadu and Premier League invited to trial 2026/27 rule change
ethan ampadu tried to break up Chelsea’s team talk after Robert Sanchez sat down for treatment in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. The stoppage, with Chelsea holding a slender lead and Leeds United pushing forward, has now fed directly into a proposed Premier League trial on tactical injury delays.
Jarred Gillett stopped play and allowed the medical staff on, while Leeds fans booed the scene. Pat Nevin called it: "It's pure gamesmanship. That's a problem in the game. If you are the referee, you've got to make a decision. He's not injured."
Robert Sanchez at Wembley
Sanchez was accused of gamesmanship after sitting down and waving for treatment during the second half against Leeds. Chelsea players moved to the technical area for instructions during the stoppage, and Leeds were building pressure at the time.
The sequence is the kind of delay football lawmakers want to address. The current law allows a 30-second treatment rule, and that has left room for teams to use stoppages to slow an opponent’s momentum and regroup.
IFAB trial plans
The International Football Association Board plans to trial different rules throughout the 2026/27 season. The Premier League has been asked to join the process, and the Women's Super League has also put itself forward.
One proposal would force any player who needs treatment to leave the field for a full minute instead of 30 seconds. If the player is a goalkeeper, another member of the team would also have to leave the pitch. A second trial would require an outfield player to go off for two minutes.
NWSL rule option
The third option is already used in the National Women's Soccer League. It stops players from approaching the technical area when play is stopped for injury, with players required to stay where they were when the injury happened or gather in their own half.
Under that system, a player who moves toward the technical area can trigger disciplinary action for the team or coach, unless the goalkeeper is substituted before play restarts, in which case the rule does not apply. IFAB will look at the trial results in March next year, with the Chelsea episode now sitting right at the center of the debate.
