Fans suggest radical football changes like abolishing offsides and unlimited substitutions

Football fans have shared their thoughts on the changes they would make to the game if given the chance, and some of the suggestions might surprise you. While many fans advocate for 3pm kick-offs to be broadcast on TV, others argue that football is already oversaturated on screens and suggest scrapping the Europa Conference League instead.

And while football’s rules have evolved over time, one in ten fans would bring back the Golden Goal rule, under which the game ends as soon as a goal is scored in extra time, declaring the scoring team the winner. Other creative ideas include replacing throw-ins with “kick-ins” and completely abolishing the offside rule.

Research commissioned by OLBG also revealed other popular suggestions, such as introducing salary caps as well as a stop clock to ensure more accurate tracking of injury time. In addition, while current rules allow for a maximum of five substitutes per game, one in four fans say they want the allowance reduced back to three.

Jake Ashton, a football betting expert at OLBG, commented: “Football gets fans going and people spend lots of time and money following their favourite team. With the rules often evolving, it’s great to see what fans would want introduced if they were given the opportunity to take charge.

“While we know lots on the list will never come to pass, there is definitely a case for some of them.”

The poll of 2,000 football fans also found that a quarter of viewers admit they’ve never attended a match in person, while three-quarters prefer to watch games on TV. TV remains the most popular way for fans to catch matches, but it is also the top source of news and updates about games and players, followed by online articles and social media.

Furthermore, many fans feel there’s no need to inject additional entertainment into the sport. Over half (52%) oppose the suggestion of introducing NFL-style halftime shows into football matches. Furthermore, seven in 10 fans agree that the game has become too commercialised and believe it should return to its roots.

Jake Ashton added: “Whether fans can get to the grounds or choose to watch football on TV, its important they always get a good experience.

“With a large portion of those who love the game agreeing it would be better sticking more to its roots, it shows the sport doesn’t always need these over complicated rule changes. This is something rule makers should keep in mind – sometimes less is more.”