This archive report was first published on 6 August 2020.
On Thursday, Premier League clubs gathered for their annual general meeting, held virtually, to discuss key regulations for the upcoming 2020/21 season.
One of the key decisions made was to reject the five substitutes rule, which was introduced in the 2019/20 season to support player welfare following the coronavirus shutdown.
Clubs were allowed to name nine substitutes and make five changes during matches, but the Premier League confirmed that this rule was voted down by all 20 members.
However, the clubs did unanimously agree to changes to the video assistant referee (VAR) system, which will now fall in line with FIFA protocol.
According to the Premier League, the new VAR rules will see referees use the pitch-side review area more often, and VAR will be used to spot goalkeeper encroachment on penalties.
Assistant referees have also been told to keep their flag down for marginal offside calls until the attacking move has played out.
These changes aim to have a unified approach to VAR implementation, as per FIFA's guidelines.
