Fifa makes Women's World Cup 2019 penalty shootout goalkeeper rule change

Tom Doyle21 June 2019

Goalkeepers at the 2019 Women's World Cup will not be booked for stepping off their goal-line during penalty shootouts after the International Football Association Board (IFAB) approved Fifa's request for a temporary dispensation from the rule.

Fifa released a statement which read: "Both FIFA and the IFAB ... believe that the requirement to caution an offending goalkeeper in Kicks from the Penalty Mark (KFPM) in matches with Video Assistant Referees is not necessary and risks unfairly distorting the KFPM if a goalkeeper is sent off."

IFAB's penalty rules - which state that "The goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot on/in line with the goal line when the kick is taken; cannot stand behind the line " - have caused controversy at the tournament in France.

England keeper Karen Bardsley labelled the new rules “cruel and pedantic” and says it is difficult for goalkeepers to change established habits.

Scotland crashed out of the World Cup on Thursday night after a VAR-awarded spot-kick taken by Argentina’s Florencia Bonsegundo was saved by Lee Alexander, only for the keeper to be ruled off her line by the technology and duly booked.

Bonsegundo scored the re-take to complete a remarkable Argentina comeback from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 and eliminate the Scots. It followed an almost identical incident in France’s 1-0 win over Nigeria earlier this week.

While IFAB's current rules will still stand for penalties during regular play, the changes should ensure further controversy is avoided should any knockout games head to a shootout.

Standard Sport understands that VAR will not rule on the positioning of goalkeepers during penalties in the Premier League next season.

England’s top flight will use VAR for the first time next term, but on-field officials are set to be allowed to have the final say on whether goalkeepers breach regulations at spot-kicks.

Goalkeepers must now have at least one foot on the line when the ball is struck and deliberations within the Professional Games Match Official Limited — the organisation managing referees in the top flight — have concluded with judgements being left to the individual officiating the game.

VAR will only be used to determine whether a player has hit the ball twice, if the kicker dummies at the point of contact or if there is an encroachment that has a direct impact on whether the penalty is scored or not.Additional reporting by Reuters.

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