New referee madness: rules are revolutionizing amateur sport!

New referee madness: rules are revolutionizing amateur sport!

Yesterday, on July 14, 2025, the regional league teams met in Ansbach for the programmatic summer conference to make important decisions for the coming season. The Bavarian Football Association (BFV) was in top form and the elections brought unanimous results. Andreas Huber from SV Wacker Burghausen will remain in office as spokesman for the amateur clubs, while Sebastian Dremmler from Munich Bayern will continue to be the contact person for the secondary representatives of the professional clubs. This clarity will certainly ensure continuity in the collaboration.

Another central point of the conference was Josef Janker, the association game director. At the age of 69, he is about to enter his final season and will no longer be running for a top position at the upcoming BFV association conference in May 2026. Janker has achieved a lot in the past 16 years and is now planning a final spurt in the current season.

Rule changes for the new season

The association referee chairman Sven Laumer received special attention, as he informed about the upcoming rule changes. The new season brings with it some changes, including the fact that new rules will already be implemented at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The decisions were made on March 1, 2025 at the 139th Annual Meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) in Belfast, which will come into force on July 1, 2025. As the Flash score reported, there are now some exciting adjustments that will impact the game.

A particularly important topic was the regulation of the time game for goalkeepers: from the summer onwards, they are now allowed to hold the ball in their hands for eight seconds, up from six seconds previously. In the event of a violation, the opponents receive a corner kick instead of an indirect free kick. The captain's rule is also new to the rules and will now be applied in all leagues within Germany, but remains optional for certain competitions.

New transparency in football

Referee announcements after VAR decisions will also be introduced, with the technical implementation being crucial. These measures are already in the test phase in the Bundesliga and the 2nd league in order to create more transparency. As the Football rules As highlighted, the competition organizers can adopt these innovations early if they wish - a move that will certainly please many football fans.

In addition, there will be an international touch in the regional league: four games will be officiated by FIFA referees from Japan. These international referees bring a new dimension to the games that should add excitement and challenges.

Overall, the regional league teams in Ansbach discussed a lot and set a clear direction for the new season. With strong leadership and new regulations, fans can hope for an exciting season of football!