Rules panel aims to let goalkeepers move more

GLASGOW, Scotland — World soccer’s rule-making panel wants to give goalkeepers more freedom to move when facing a penalty.

Currently, the Laws of the Game state goalkeepers “must remain on the goal line … until the ball has been kicked.”

The panel, known as IFAB, proposed Thursday that goalkeepers should need “only one foot on the goal line when a penalty is taken.”

This would allow ‘keepers to begin moving forward earlier without risking referees ordering the kick to be retaken if they make a save.

Penalty kicks were the main focus of the International Football Association Board’s business meeting to prepare for a March 1 session when law changes can be approved. New laws will take effect June 1 — the date of the Champions League final.

Other proposals included aiming to write a more precise wording for accidental handball offenses.

“The most significant clarifications relate to ‘non-deliberate’ handball situations, where there is an unfair ‘outcome/benefit’ due to the ball making contact with a player’s hand/arm,” IFAB said.

At the World Cup in June, Portugal almost lost its place in the round of 16 when Iran was awarded a stoppage-time penalty for a handball harshly judged against defender Cedric Soares. Iran scored the spot kick, then missed a clear chance to win the game.

IFAB also ended trials with the so-called ABBA order of teams taking penalties in a shootout. To relieve the pressure of one team potentially always taking spot kicks while trailing, the order could be reversed in each successive round.