Ronwen Williams penalised under new FIFA Law in Sundowns win

Goalkeeper Ronwen Williams has been penalised under the new Law 12.2 in Sundowns’ narrow Club World Cup win.

Mamelodi Sundowns’ 1-0 victory over Ulsan HD in their FIFA Club World Cup Group F clash was marked by a rare enforcement of a new rule, as captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams was penalised under the recently introduced Law 12.2 of the Laws of the Game.

In the 82nd minute, Williams saved a shot from LEE Huigyun and held onto the ball while scanning the field for options. However, referee Clément Turpin raised his hands to indicate that Williams had exceeded the allowed time to release the ball. Turpin awarded a corner kick to Ulsan, citing the new regulation.

The law, approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) on 1 March 2025, states that if a goalkeeper holds the ball for more than eight seconds, the opposing team will be awarded a corner kick. This replaces the previous rule, which penalized such infractions with an indirect free kick after six seconds.

Williams held the ball for 13 seconds before being penalized—an incident he will need to be mindful of ahead of Sundowns’ next match against Borussia Dortmund, as set-piece opportunities could prove costly.

Key points from the new Law 12.2 and FIFA’s implementation guidelines:

• The eight-second count begins once the goalkeeper has full control of the ball and is not under pressure from an opponent.
• The referee must visibly count down the final five seconds, ensuring the goalkeeper can see the countdown.
• If opponents interfere or pressure the goalkeeper during the countdown, the referee will stop the count and award an indirect free kick in favor of the goalkeeper.