How do the goalkeeper eight-second rule and the five-second countdowns work?

These are the Laws' main tools against time-wasting in 2026/27:

Goalkeeper holding the ball (Laws 12 and 17): if a goalkeeper controls the ball in their hands inside the penalty area for more than eight seconds, the opponents get a corner kick. The referee counts down the last five seconds with a raised hand.

Throw-ins (Law 15, new): if a team is deliberately delaying a throw-in, the referee whistles and starts a visual five-second countdown. If the throw isn't taken in time, it is awarded to the other team.

Goal kicks (Law 16, new): the same five-second countdown; if the goal kick isn't taken in time, the opponents get a corner kick.

In both countdowns, the player is only cautioned if they then excessively delay the opponents' restart, because losing the restart is treated as enough punishment.