In men's and women's soccer games where video review is used, coaches could be allowed to make two video challenges per game for the 2026-27 academic year.
The Division I Men's Soccer Rules Subcommittee, Division I Women's Soccer Rules Subcommittee and the Divisions II and III Men's and Women's Soccer Rules Committee made the recommendations and others while meeting this week in Indianapolis.
All Division I rules proposals must be approved by the Division I Men's Soccer Oversight Committee and the Division I Women's Soccer Oversight Committee, respectively, and Divisions II and III rule recommendations must be approved by the Divisions II and III Playing Rules Oversight Panel. All bodies are expected to review the rule proposals in April.
Under the video review challenge proposal, each coach can make a maximum of two challenges at any point in a game.
In the first 80 minutes of a game, officials would initiate video review only for clock issues and to see whether the ball crossed the goal line. In the final 10 minutes of regulation and overtime, officials would be able to initiate video review on all allowable plays.
However, officials would not initiate video review in the last 10 minutes of regulation or overtime if a team still has challenges remaining.
The rationale for the recommendation is to help the officials get the call right while maintaining the pace and flow of the game.
The committees made a number of other rules recommendations this week.
Goalkeepers releasing the ball
The time goalkeepers must release the ball after gaining possession could increase to eight seconds next season. Officials would make an accompanying visual signal for the final five seconds of the count.
If the goalkeeper doesn't release the ball within eight seconds, the opposing team would be awarded a corner kick.
This change would align the NCAA with international rules.
Currently, goalkeepers have six seconds to release the ball after gaining possession, and if the ball isn't released, the opposing team receives an indirect free kick.
Substitutions
Teams would be allowed to make substitutions any time the clock is stopped in Divisions II and III men's competition and all three women's divisions.
This is already allowed in Division I men's games.
Ineligible participation
If a player competes in a match that the player should have sat out due to a previous ejection or disqualification, the penalty for illegal participation would be changed to two games each for the illegal participant and the head coach. The team using the ineligible participant would have to forfeit the game, and the score would be recorded 3-0.
Other rules recommendations
- For violent behavior red card ejections, the NCAA secretary-rules editor and a designated committee, rather than the referee on the field during the game, would determine acts of Violent Behavior II.
- Teams could have four 15-by-15-foot commercial logos on the field (two on each half) on the field of play outside the penalty areas if they do not obscure required markings.
- In games where video review is used, a video match official could assist the referee. The official either could be at the game site or at a centralized location.
- In Division I men's and women's games only, having a fourth official would be mandatory.
- All yellow cards given to the coaching staff would be charged to the head coach for accumulation purposes.
- For all three women's divisions and Division II and III men's regular-season games, a running clock would occur in the last 15 minutes if there is a five-goal margin. The clock would return to standard rules if the margin drops below five goals.
- If a player from each team is treated by medical personnel after a penalty kick is awarded, both players could remain in the game.
- Each red card ejection will carry its own penalty with no additional games missed for successive red cards.
- Devices for collecting data could be worn on the wrist or arm if properly padded and covered.
- If a game is delayed by weather, there would be a maximum three-hour wait from the scheduled start time until the all-clear is given to begin warmups. If a game has started, there would be a three-hour window from the point of the first interruption to the all-clear to resume play. Conferences would have oversight to extend these windows.
