Israeli League Management Demands More Effective Playing Time From Referees

The Israeli Football League Management has formally requested the Referees Association to significantly increase the net playing time in Premier League and National League matches for the upcoming season. At a recent League Management Board meeting, Referees Association CEO Liran Wexberger and Professional Committee Chairman Ziv Adler presented planned changes, while club leaders including Alona Barkat participated and raised questions and suggestions. The management emphasized reducing game delays and enhancing effective playtime, noting that last season saw no improvement despite prior commitments by the referees. To facilitate faster restarts, the league is considering placing 15 balls along the sidelines on special holders about 15 meters apart, allowing players to quickly resume play without relying solely on ball retrievers. This initiative follows observations that matches between top teams had the lowest net playing time, and new rules inspired by the recent World Cup aim to boost effective game duration. The league management is prioritizing this issue ahead of the new season kickoff.