New penalty rule in football after UCL controversy: What you need to know

A recent clarification to the rules of football concerning penalty kicks has been issued following a controversial incident involving Julián Álvarez in a Champions League knockout match earlier this year. The change will officially take effect in UEFA competitions starting Wednesday, as Germany faces Portugal in the UEFA Nations League semi-final in Munich.

 

The update, announced by UEFA and based on guidelines from the International Football Association Board (IFAB), addresses an unusual situation during a penalty shootout when Álvarez, playing for Atlético Madrid, slipped and unintentionally struck the ball twice. In the Champions League round of 16 against Real Madrid, Álvarez’s initial kick deflected off his standing foot and looped into the net past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. While the goal was initially celebrated, a VAR review disallowed it, citing a double touch, a decision that proved crucial in Atlético’s eventual elimination.

 

Although officials applied the rules correctly at the time, IFAB acknowledged that the wording in Law 14 was not clear enough in cases of accidental infractions. The revised guidance aims to distinguish between intentional and accidental second touches during a penalty. 

 

What does the new penalty kick rule say?  In a statement, IFAB noted that such occurrences are rare but not directly addressed in the existing laws. “This part of Law 14 is primarily intended for situations where the penalty taker deliberately touches the ball a second time before it has touched another player,” the board explained.

 

Under the new interpretation, if a player scores a penalty after an accidental second touch, like slipping and unintentionally contacting the ball twice, the penalty must now be retaken, rather than ruled as a miss. However, if the double-touched penalty does not result in a goal, the outcome remains unchanged: during a shootout, it will be marked as missed; during regular play, a free kick will be awarded to the opposing team.

 

This updated rule will also apply at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, which begins on June 14 in the United States, featuring 32 teams, including Atlético Madrid.

 

IFAB, made up of FIFA and the four British football associations, governs global football laws and requires six out of eight votes to enact rule changes.