The Italian Referees’ Association (AIA) has officially confirmed a comprehensive set of rule interpretations and VAR updates for the upcoming 2026-27 Serie A season. Ahead of each campaign, coaches and select players are routinely briefed on these guidelines to ensure a unified understanding of how referees and VAR officials will apply the rules on the pitch.
To address ongoing concerns regarding the lack of active playing time in Serie A, several measures have been introduced to speed up the game. Substitutions will be strictly timed: if a substituted player fails to exit the pitch within 10 seconds of the fourth official displaying their number, the replacement player cannot enter the field until play stops naturally, or at least one full minute of active play has elapsed. Furthermore, players will face a five-second countdown to take throw-ins or goal kicks. Exceeding this limit will result in the referee awarding the throw-in to the opposing team or granting them a corner kick.
A new injury protocol, also adapted from the World Cup, requires any player receiving treatment on the pitch to remain off the field for at least one minute before returning. Exceptions to this rule are limited to serious head clashes, injuries resulting from fouls that draw a yellow or red card, or incidents involving goalkeepers.
In a more controversial move, referees will now have the authority to issue a straight red card if a player covers their mouth during a provocative or offensive exchange with an opponent. Other adjustments are to the DOGSO protocol (denial of a clear goal-scoring opportunity), so if a referee plays the advantage and the team manages to score a goal, there will be no card for the foul in the build-up. Another change is for penalties; if a player slips and kicks the ball with both feet, it has until now been disallowed, but they will now be allowed to retake the penalty if they manage to score.
Following the changes introduced by IFAB for the 2026 World Cup, the AIA (Italian Referees’ Association) has adopted some of those recommendations.
