Spain’s La Liga has made a final decision not to implement the much-discussed and controversial “Vinícius Law” in the new season. The Spanish Referees’ Technical Committee has expressed solidarity with the position of European football’s governing body, UEFA, rejecting this rule proposed by FIFA. The 2026-27 season will start on August 15, and this law will not be implemented in the new La Liga season.
The rule became controversial earlier this month. The “Vinícius Law,” which would have seen players sent off for covering their faces while arguing or speaking during a match, was intended to prevent players from using racist or offensive language while shielding their mouths. However, first division and VAR referees decided to scrap the rule after detailed discussions at a referees’ training camp in Las Caldas, Asturias.
Explaining the main reason for repealing the law, officials said that goalkeepers or outfield players do not always cover their faces with the intention of insulting anyone. Nowadays, it has become common practice to cover one’s mouth while discussing tactics with teammates or talking about positioning. It is unreasonable and risky to reduce a team to 10 men over face-covering without any clear evidence.
Fran Soto, head of the Spanish Goalkeepers’ Association, told Spanish daily AS: “It is not right to send off a player without any concrete or conclusive evidence… We have to see if we can go this route, or find another way to stop this kind of behavior.” He confirmed that the decision was made in accordance with UEFA guidelines.
In addition to scrapping the “Vinícius Law,” La Liga has proposed introducing new rules modeled on the English Premier League to curb time-wasting. They have requested that the International Football Association Board grant referees the power to temporarily reduce a goalkeeper — or his team — to 10 men for a minute as punishment for wasting time by feigning injury.
In addition, several modern rules seen at this year’s World Cup will also be introduced in La Liga, including a countdown clock for throw-ins, a maximum 10-second substitution period, and keeping players who receive on-field treatment off the pitch for at least one minute afterward.
UEFA has also issued a strict policy on the use of VAR, making clear that “Video Assistant Referee technology will only intervene to correct clear and serious errors” — that is, it will only come into play when the referee’s decision is clearly wrong or when the referee has overlooked a clear offense. The purpose of VAR is not to re-referee the match, but to assist the referee, since the referee must remain at the center of the decision-making process.
