SNAPSHOT OF RULE CHANGES : CLICK TO VIEW : << VIDEO Part 1 >>     << VIDEO Part 2 >> 

From keeping three players in each half to two-point scoring arcs to tap and go, the GAA has endorsed a raft of game-changing rules for Gaelic football. Here's a handy guide of what to expect in 2025 

THE landslide support for the FRC package was an emphatic statement on the need for Gaelic football change. The 48 rule ‘enhancements’ passed with minimal opposition - indeed, only four failed to get at least 90% and even the countdown clock and hooter motion got 74% support. 

So what's new and how will the game look next year?

MOTION 4: The motion proposes that the referee, facing the players, starts the game and re-starts it after half-time, by throwing the ball between one player from each team, in their own defensive sides of the halfway line. A second player from each team shall stand on opposite sidelines at the halfway line. The second players shall swap sidelines for the second-half throw-in. All other players shall be in their respective positions behind the 45m lines.The first of the seven proposals will see just two players contest the throw-in at the beginning of each half. The FRC have explained that the consistent fouling at 2v2 throw-ins was the motivation for bringing in this rule change. The hope is that the new setup will allow the player gaining possession to break into attack immediately.

The throw in: From the get-go, approved for football across club and inter-county for 2025 is one-v-one throw-ins with the other two centrefielders positioned on the sideline.
The FRC also said that calls for referees to crack down on fouling at throw-ins in 2024 had not been deemed successful, increasing the perceived need for change in this area.




Kick-outs

MOTION 5: This motion proposes a kick-out off the ground from the centre point of the 20m line and shall be kicked forward. If the goalkeeper is not taking the kick-out, the goalkeeper shall stay in the small rectangle. All other players shall be at least 13m from the ball until it is kicked. The player taking a kick-out may kick the ball more than once before any other player touches it, but may not take the ball into the hands. The ball shall travel not less than 13m and outside the 40m arc before being played by another player of the defending team. Players may remain inside the 20m line. Players may not impede or interfere with the goalkeeper, or another opposition player, taking the kick-out. Players may remain inside the 40m arc, but must not be closer than 13m to the ball when it is being kickeIn a lengthy and detailed report circulated by the FRC at October's Croke Park media briefing, it was argued that the resumption of play is oftentimes delayed by players slowly returning to position outside the 20m line. The hope is that this change will encourage teams to quickly develop attacks, while also creating room for innovation with how the attacking team utilises the space inside the 20m line.

Kick-outs can also only be played once the ball has travelled past the 40m arc, with the hope for this to create more 1v1 contests due to the increased size of the area.**Kick-outs must now go beyond the new 40-metre arc.

.1. Kickouts

 

A. Yes. You do not have to wait for players to be outside the 20m line or the referee’s consent.

A. No. You just need to be 13m from the ball.

A. A free kick is awarded against them where the foul occurred.

A. It’s a 50m penalty i.e. the ball will be brought up to the halfway line.

A. No. It’s a free kick against you from the position you received the ball.

A. Yes. Play on! Provided you were 13m from the ball when it was kicked.

MOTION 14: This  motion proposes that a goalkeeper may only receive the ball from a teammate (a) inside the large rectangle when both the goalkeeper and the teammate passing the ball are inside the large rectangle or (b) when the goalkeeper is in the opposition half of the field.
During a roundtable discussion with Balls.ie in October, Jim Gavin said that this rule had received a mixed reception from the goalkeepers involved in the sandbox games thus far but, if executed correctly, it could be a major blow to the slow, possession-based football which the FRC are seeking to eliminate.Under the new rules, the goalkeeper can receive the ball from a teammate inside his own half only when both players are inside the large rectangle. He may also receive a pass from a teammate after crossing the halfway line.

3. Goalkeeper Receiving a Pass

 

A. A free kick is awarded from where the pass was made.

A. No. If you are inside the large rectangle, you can only pass it to the goalkeeper if the ball has been played by an opposing player i.e. you must be inside the large rectangle, and either catch/ intercept an opposition attempted shot, kick or fist pass, before you pass it to your goalkeeper.

A. He can play on as normal. He just needs to be aware that he cannot receive a return pass from a teammate until he is inside the opposition half.

A. Yes.

A. Yes. That would not be deemed as ‘receiving the ball’ from a teammate.

A. Yes. A breaking ball that drops into the large rectangle would not be deemed as ‘receiving the ball’ from a teammate.

A. Yes. The goalkeeper can position himself anywhere on the field of play.

A. If the goalkeeper catches a pass from a teammate inside his half of the field, a free kick is awarded to the opposition from where the pass is made.

A. No. Even though you did not receive a direct pass from a teammate you did receive the ball from a teammate. Since you’re outside your large rectangle and in your own half of the field, the opposition will get a free kick from where your teammate made the attempted pass.

The potential to exploit this rule was showcased magnificently by Tyrone's Niall Morgan in the inter-provincial series.Defending player not allowed pass the ball back to the goalkeeper who has taken the restart. The keeper can't receive a pass except from a team-mate in the large rectangle or in the opposition half of the field.

FRC: "A player fouled may immediately take a solo and go."Multiple members of the GAA Football Review Committee said that the "solo-and-go" had been the best received of the seven core principles during the series of sandbox games.This rule change will remove the condition that players must seek the referee's permission to take a free-kick, with the goal of speeding up the pace of the game. The solo-and-go must be taken in a forward direction, and the player taking it is allowed 4m of advantage - they cannot be challenged within 4m of where the solo-and-go is taken.

Any player on the team fouled can take the solo-and-go, provided the ball is tapped within 4m of where the initial foul took place.The new solo and go will speed up the game and allows a player to play on immediately when awarded a free. Also on fouls and advantage: A player can now choose to to take a free from outside the 40m arc even though free awarded inside. Advantage period now at discretion of referee.With the solo and go, the player can elect to take a quick solo, move on in a forward or sideways direction, to get play underway straight away as quickly as possible."Players will have to be tuned in. From the defending players point of view, they have to get back four metres straight away."The key point is that the solo and go has to be taken immediately. If it isn't taken immediately, it just reverts to a normal free-kick under the current rules. So you'd imagine the defensive player would stand back to four metres and if the solo and go is taken, they'll be in a position to engage with the player."If it becomes a free-kick, then they'll move back 13 metres, as is currently the situation.

2. Solo & Go

 

A. No. It must be a ‘toe-tap’ i.e. the ball must be released from the hand(s) to the foot and kicked back into the hand(s).

A. Yes.

A. There is one exception – you cannot take it inside the opposition 20m line.

A. Yes. But don’t delay as a solo & go must be taken immediately you were awarded a free kick.

A. No. You can take a solo & go up to 4m from the position where the foul occurred.

A. No. The solo & go must only be taken in forwards or sideways direction.

A. A free kick will be awarded to the opposition where the foul occurs.

A. The referee will cancel the solo & go and the Referee will ask the player to take the free kick from the position of the foul from either the hands or from the ground.

A. If the solo & go is not taken ‘immediately’ the referee will cancel the solo & go and free kick will have to be taken from the position of the foul from either the hands or from the ground.

A. Immediately means after a foul, the solo & go must be taken at once and without delay.

A. No. A solo and go can only be taken 4m from the position where the foul occurred.

MOTION 16: This motion proposes that during play, a team must have at least three outfield players on each side of the half-way line. Exceptions will be made where the number of players on a team is reduced below 15, the number of players that team is required to keep on each side of the half-way line is reduced accordingly e.g. if there are 14 players on the team, it must have at least two outfield players on each side of the half-way line.The goal behind the 3/3 rule is to create more structure to the game and encourage more attacking play twofold. Firstly, the number of defending players in a team's half will be limited to 11, opening more space for attackers, while the three players remaining upfield will create opportunities for quick counter-attacking play.

Three v three in top half: The game-changer will see teams required to have at least three players in each half of play, and signals an end to low blocks and blanket defences

Enforcement of this rule will differ depending on the scenario in which the offence occurs but, in most scenarios, the penalty will be a free kick to the opposition on the offending team's 20m line.

4. 3/3 Structure Rule

 Q. Can the goalkeeper be one of the three players we keep in our half of the field?

A. No. You need to keep 3 outfield players in each half of the pitch?

 Q. Is a goalkeeper not an outfield player when he is playing outfield?

A. No. An ‘outfield player’ is defined as “any other player other than the goalkeeper”.

Q. Can we put a forward, say our left corner forward, in a goalkeeper’s jersey and give his no.15 jersey to the goalkeeper, so that means our goalkeeper will be wearing an outfield jersey but plays in goals, so then he could receive a pass inside the large rectangle and inside our half?

A. It is a team's decision to allocate jerseys to any player. However, each team must keep 3 outfield players in the opposition half of the field when you're defending. Your goalkeeper can be in the opposition half, but there will also need to be 3 outfield players from his team. Also, the goalkeeper would need to come back for each kickout because if the goalkeeper is not taking the kick-out, he needs to stay inside the small rectangle (see Rule 2.6), and only the goalkeeper may play the ball on the ground inside the small rectangle (see Rule 1.2 (i))

A. If a player is ordered off the field of play, his team may adjust the number of players required inside the midfield line so they will always have a maximum 11 attacking or a maximum 11 defending players (excluding the goalkeeper). So, a team will not be disadvantaged defensively or in attack, due to the 3/3 Structure Rule, by having a player ordered off the field of play.

FRC: "The current advance mark is gone. A new mark is introduced whereby a player may claim a mark if the ball is caught inside the 20m line after it is kick passed outside the 45m line. To reward the risk, the player may continue on until the advantage is no longer accrued, whereby the referee will give a free-kick from the place of the mark."Though a player can still avail of a mark immediately by raising their arm upright, the goal of the updated advanced mark ruling is to encourage more exciting and ambitious play by affording players the option of an advantage.

The advanced mark is changed – now only awarded for a catch inside the 20m line from a kick outside the 45m. Defender can also be awarded it but attacker gets big advantage to go for goal, knowing that the original mark remains if he doesn’t score.An example of David Clifford's mark in the 2022 All-Ireland football final was frequently cited by the FRC as the kind of incident this change seeks to eradicate from the pre-existing advanced mark ruling."[The advantage element] is to reward to risk of kicking a ball from the 45m line all the way into the 20m line. The player who catches the ball can take a free from that position or they can continue on and in most instances go for a goal."And if the goal is not taken, if the advantage is not accrued, the referee will bring the ball back to where the original mark was claimed and it'll be a free-kick."In the modern game, coaches might be reluctant to kick the ball into a 1v1 because it might be turned over."In this scenario, if the player wins the ball, there's a goal chance on immediately. From the defensive perspective, they can tackle immediately, unlike the kickout mark."If the defender blocks it, they have prevented a goal."We've decided to leave it up to the interpretation of the referee as to when the advantage is no longer accrued."If it's anything over 10 seconds, the ball obviously has been recycled and the ref can say the ball is no longer being moved forward in a positive way and he'll say 'let's just give the mark'.

6. Advanced Mark

 

 A. No, the play may continue (no matter which direction the player moves or passes the ball) for as long as the referee deems that there is the potential of an advantage to the attacking team.

A. Yes – you can immediately tackle the player who catches an advanced mark.

A. In this scenario is likely that you will be awarded a penalty. Rule 5.41 covers this whereby a player is awarded a penalty when “denied a goal-scoring opportunity” because an opponent deliberately pulled him down (including being ‘held up’” - this is one of the proposed amendments), or if he is deliberately tripped, or deliberately collided with for the purpose of taking him out of the attacking movement. The offending player will also receive a Black Card.

A. No – the referee will deem that no advantage has accrued to the team of the player awarded the Mark and will indicate that by saying “no advantage gained” and will take the ball back to the point of the Mark.

A. The referee will deem that no advantage has accrued to the team of the player awarded the Mark and will indicate that by saying “no advantage gained” and will take the ball back to the point of the Mark.

A. No. The referee will deem that no advantage has accrued to the team of the player awarded the Mark and will indicate that by saying “no advantage gained” and will take the ball back to the point of the Mark.

A. Since you committed a ‘technical foul’ before you had accrued an advantage, the referee will stop play and allow you to take the Mark from its original position.

A. No. You committed an ‘aggressive foul’ so the referee will award a free kick to the opposition, and apply any relevant disciplinary action associated with your foul.

A. In theory - yes. In practice, unlikely that a referee will allow the advantage to continue in that scenario.

A. Yes. The rules were amended to allow this scenario from a Kick Out Mark. Note an Advanced Mark cannot be taken from a free kick or sideline kick.

MOTION 20: The motion proposes a point is scored when the ball is played over the crossbar between the posts by either team, inside the 40m arc or inside the 20m line. Two points are scored when the ball is played directly over the crossbar between the posts (whether from a free kick, solo and go, or from general play), having been kicked by a player who has at least one foot on or outside the 40m arc and without the ball having been touched by any other player. The exception is when the ball is played over the crossbar between the posts from a 45, one point is awarded. A goal is equivalent to three points.The most radical of the rule changes, the 40m arc will change the scoring system in Gaelic football for the first time since 1896.

Long range scoring:
The art of long range points returns with two points now for a kick from outside the 40-metre arc.
The FRC hope that this change will encourage teams to try more spectacular long-range shots. The attacking team will be forced to decide whether to take an audacious long-range shot or to play the ball in closer to goal. Meanwhile, the defending 11 will have to choose between vehemently defending their 2-point arc and sacrificing space closer to the goal, or vice versa.Gavin's Football Review Committee believe this will get GAA supporters "up off their seats."This rule also originally included the introduction of four points for a goal alongside the 2-point arc. This aspect was ultimately scrapped after October's inter-provincial series.

5. Scoring

A. Yes. If it goes directly over the bar.

A. 1pt. A shot for 2pts must go directly over the bar i.e. it will only count as 1pt if it is flicked/palmed/punched over the crossbar by a player on either team.

A. No, the free kick must be taken from the position of where the original foul was committed, and this spot should be marked.

A. No. The referee will cancel your free kick and throw in the ball where the foul occurred.

 

A. Yes, you’ll still get a free kick. In addition, the referee will deem this ‘Cynical Play for holding up a player” and they will receive a Black Card.

A. Yes. If you are delayed taking a free kick or sideline the referee will advance the ball 50m in the direction of the goal posts up to opponents’ 13m line. If the foul was outside the arc and because of the advancement was brought inside the arc, you have the option of taking a freekick from outside the 40m arc for 2pts.

A. No. In this scenario if you don’t “hand over” the ball by giving it directly to the nearest opposition player in a prompt and respectful manner, the referee will consider that you are purposefully delay play will advance the ball 50m.

A. You need to look for the nearest opposition player and hand them the ball. If you don’t the referee will consider that you are purposely delaying play and will advance the ball 50m.

*There are several moves to take cynicism out of the game. On delaying the game, the 50m sanction will surely reduce cynicism like blocking opposition from taking a free or not handing the ball back on concession of a free.

**Sanction for dissent: A major play on referee abuse with frees advanced 50m and at under-age level, black carding the player responsible. Only a captain or nominated deputy may communicate with the referee.74% supported introduction of a countdown clock and hooter. This won’t be introduced for hurling, though. All club grounds must feature public clocks and hooter systems in time for league action in the spring (March 31 at the latest). They must also be marked with the new 40-metre arcs and dashed halfway line*Gaelic football at club and county level will now require three score flags - green (goal, three points), white (point) and red (two points).

 Q. I am not the team captain, or the team nominated deputy, but I don’t know why the referee gave a free against me – surely, I can ask them why did they make that decision?

A. If you do, you will concede a free kick, and the ball will be advanced 50m. The team captain, or a nominated deputy, are the only players on a team that can speak to the referee to seek clarification of a decision made by the referee and they can only do so during a break in play.

Q. My manager is always giving out to referees. In our last match we were up by a point in the last minute and one of our forwards tackled an opposition player who was in possession of the ball and gave away a free in their full back line. Our manager thought it was a terrible decision and gave the referee and linesman some abuse. The referee advanced the ball to our 13m line. The opposition player then moved the ball back to the top of the arc and score a ‘2 pointer’ to win the game. Is that allowed?

A. Yes. If a team official displays misconduct towards any Match Officials, the referee will award a free kick on the offending team’s 13m line at the centre of the scoring space or, at the option of the free taker, a free kick from the apex of the 40m arc. Where that option is availed of, two points shall be awarded for a score from such a free kick where the ball crosses the crossbar between the posts.

 

A. Yes, if the referee is advancing the ball up 50m, you need to wait until they re-position the ball. However, in this instance the new rule also allows you to take a solo & go or a free kick from the place where the foul occurred.

A. Yes, so long as you are solely engaged with trying to remove your teammate who is involved in the melee.

A. No. If you are the 3rd or subsequent player into a melee, and you are not solely engaged in trying to remove your teammate, the referee will send you to the Sin Bin.

*Referees will be equipped with vanishing foam to show where a free can be taken.*Linesmen renamed line umpires with additional powers.Central Council have the authority to amend, rescind or introduce new rulesduring the 2025 season. They will take advice on such from the Football Review Committee.*Another Special Congress is required at the end of next year to decide which rules are adopted on a permanent basis.*As it’s a year divisible by five in 2025, further playing rule changes from clubs will be debated at Annual Congress in February.

13. Stop Clock

 

A. No. The game immediately ends.

 Q. If I’m just about to take a shot and the hooter goes, if I scored a point would it count? 

A. No. The game ends immediately.

A. Yes. If the ball is in the air after the hooter sounds, a score may be awarded. The ball must go directly over the bar/in the net i.e. it cannot be flicked on by a teammate/or opposition player.

A. Yes. For the score to count, the ball must go directly over the bar directly i.e. it cannot be flicked on by a teammate/or opposition player.

 Q. We have a penalty and the hooter sounds. The penalty is taken, the goalkeeper palms the ball, but it still hits the net. Does the goal count even though the keeper touched the ball? 

A. Yes. If a penalty has been awarded but not taken, before the hooter sounds, the penalty can be taken, and if it results in a score, including only the goalkeeper touching the ball, that score shall be awarded.

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