What football rules would fans change? (survey results and live poll)

Footie Laws - what football rules would fans like to see implemented?

Nearly a third of football fans want instant red cards for anyone who dives. Other proposed changes include salary caps, 3pm televised kick-offs, and a stop clock to accurately track injury time, according to the poll of 2,000 footie followers.

One in 10 opted for a hint of nostalgia by suggesting the return of the Golden Goal rule to decide games, with fun ideas like ‘kick-ins’ to replace throw-ins and no offsides also mentioned.

Jake Ashton

Senior News Editor

Football gets fans going, and people spend lots of time and money following their favorite team. With rules constantly evolving, it’s great to see what fans would want introduced if they had the opportunity to take charge. While we know many on the list will never come to pass, there is definitely a case for some of them.

The research revealed a quarter of those with opinions on substitutions want the limit reverted to a maximum of three. Other areas fans want reduced include the number of games available to watch (25%).

Of those feeling overwhelmed by too much football, 40% identified the Europa Conference League as their top choice to cut.

When it comes to attending games, a quarter (26%) of football viewers admit to never watching a match in person, with three-quarters (75%) preferring to watch on TV.

TV isn’t just popular for games; it ranks first for football news (69%), with online articles (53%) and social media (44%) completing the top trio.

The Premier League tops fans' favorite competitions, with nearly half (49%) agreeing.

‘Goals’ scored highest (66%) on the list of things fans love about watching or listening to the game. Top players according to the OLBG/OnePoll survey are Mo Salah (23%), Lionel Messi (22%), and Harry Kane (22%).

There’s no need to make football more entertaining, as 52% of fans don't support the idea of NFL-style halftime shows.

Seven in 10 (71%) agree that the game should return to its roots, as it's become too commercialized.

Jake Ashton, Football Betting expert at OLBG added: "Whether fans go to the grounds or watch on TV, it's important they have a good experience. Many agree it would be better to stick to the sport's roots, showing that less complicated changes might be best."

Top 20 football rules fans would like to see implemented:

• Salary cap on players - 38%
• 3pm kick-offs televised - 32%
• A stop clock for accurate injury time - 32%
• Red card for diving - 28%
• Stricter spending caps on clubs - 28%
• Referees wearing microphones - 25%
• Simplify handball rules - 23%
• No more VAR - 20%
• Introduce sin bins - 20%
• Penalties for arguing with referees - 18%
• Eliminate transfer windows - 15%
• The fouled player takes the penalty - 14%
• Bonus points for scoring 4+ goals - 13%
• Include a certain number of youth players in starting lineups - 13%
• Bring back golden goal - 10%
• Allow alcohol in the stands - 9%
• No offsides - 8%
• Decide drawn games with a penalty shoot-out - 8%
• Unlimited subs - 7%
• Allow kick-ins instead of throw-ins - 6%

Methodology:

Survey conducted by OnePoll between 24th March to 1st April 2025. 2,000 UK respondents, specifically Football Fans.