Major League Soccer is lobbying the International Football Association Board to explore a stopped-clock rule that would pause play for specific interruptions.

The proposal seeks to fundamentally change the timing of professional soccer matches. By stopping the clock during injuries, substitutions, and set pieces, the league aims to improve game flow and eliminate the unpredictability of stoppage time.

Under the proposed system, the match clock would freeze during dead-ball situations. This would ensure that the full allotted time is played as active competition—a departure from the current global standard where the clock runs continuously regardless of delays.

This is not the first time the league has experimented with such a format. MLS previously used a stopped clock from 1996 to 1999 [1]. The league abandoned the practice decades ago to align more closely with international standards.

The International Football Association Board, which serves as the global governing body for the laws of the game, has considered similar changes in the past. The board last debated a stopping-clock rule in 2017 [1].

While the league is pushing for a trial, the proposal faces a steep climb due to the tradition of the continuous clock in global football. If adopted, the rule would represent one of the most significant changes to the sport's timing mechanics in the modern era.

Officials from MLS are currently in discussions with IFAB representatives to determine if a trial period is feasible. The league said that pausing for substitutions and set-piece situations would provide a more precise and fair measurement of match duration.

“MLS is lobbying the International Football Association Board to explore a stopped-clock rule”

This move signals a desire by MLS to further 'Americanize' the sport's pacing to better suit domestic broadcasting and fan expectations. If IFAB grants a trial, it could create a divergence in how the game is played in the U.S. compared to the rest of the world, potentially serving as a laboratory for global rule changes regarding time-wasting.