World football’s leading law-makers, including The FA chairman and general secretary have gathered for the summit in the Swiss city, with the meeting to be chaired by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
The IFAB is world football’s law-making body, and took the decision to approve goal-line technology in July 2012.
The March AGM will follows on from last month’s historic IFAB reforms, which were also confirmed at the Home of FIFA.
The decisions made on 13 January included consent for two new advisory boards – Technical and Football – to help in the IFAB decision-making process, as well as measures to ensure its independent status going forward.
The gathering will take place at FIFA HQ in March
In terms of the Laws of the Game, the IFAB will discuss proposals to alter Law 4 – The Players’ Equipment. Firstly in terms of the use of head coverings, as the two-year trial period unanimously approved by the IFAB in 2012 is set to conclude, and secondly in relation to slogans or advertising on undergarments.
The IFAB will review a proposed amendment to allow for greater flexibility in the use of substitutions in amateur/recreational football, a proposal piloted by The FA, and also look at Law 8 – The Start and Restart of Play: dropped ball, Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct: handling the ball, plus the use of electronic performance and tracking systems.
Items in ‘other business’ are included for discussion and are not yet at the stage of being considered at this year’s AGM for decision in terms of alterations to the existing Laws of the Game.
These are ‘sin bins’ in recreational football, sending-off offences (‘triple punishment’), and the potential use of video replays to support match officials.
About IFAB
- Established in 1886
- Set up to discuss and decide upon proposed alterations to the Laws of the Game
- Meets annually to discuss and vote upon amendments
- FIFA has four votes
- The remaining votes are taken up by the 'home' nations of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales
- For a motion to be successful it must receive at least three-quarters of the vote
In line with the new IFAB structure, some of the items on the agenda may end up being submitted to the two new advisory Technical and Football panels, which will include different stakeholders from across the world of football to support the IFAB with greater expertise before decisions are passed.
For the full agenda for this year’s IFAB AGM, click here.
IFAB meetings take place in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, in strict rotation, as well as at locations decided by FIFA in FIFA Wold Cup years.
Crucially, January’s reforms meeting also ensured the composition of the IFAB will remain unchanged.
The four British Associations will continue to have one vote each on the law-making body while FIFA has retained its four votes, with a 75 per cent majority required for a change.
