Football lawmakers propose ban on injury-time substitutions

The discussions come after fresh numbers revealed a worrying lack of playing time per match

In a quarter of Premier League matches, changes are being made after 90 minutes (Getty)

Football's rule-makers are keen to clamp down on time-wasting tactics, with a ban on injury-time substitutions one of the areas being considered to increase the actual playing time during matches.

The International Football Association Board (Ifab) has observed that in a quarter of Premier League matches, changes are being made after 90 minutes.

According to The Times, the new proposals could be discussed by the Ifab as soon as next month in preparation for their annual meeting in March.

"Looking at ways to cut down on time-wasting, speed up the game and increase playing time is one of our priorities," an Ifab member told The Times.

"A rule to say there should be no substitutions during added-on time is an interesting one and could work well. Referees add on 30 seconds for a substitution but in practice it can eat up a lot more time than that.

"There would, however, need to be trials to see if there are any unforeseen ramifications."

The discussions come after fresh numbers revealed a worrying lack of playing time per match.

The average playing time for a Premier League match is 55 minutes and nine seconds this season, while Cardiff City's clash against Burnley saw just over 42 minutes of game time.

Reuters