Referees told to speed things up and take back control
The 2026-2027 season will not just be about the new rules. On the pitches of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, the refereeing department also wants to change some habits. Less wasted time, more bite on the behaviour that disrupts matches, and above all a different way of talking to players. Benoit Bastien, now on the other side of the whistle after retiring in June, is one of the men tasked with getting that message across.
The former international referee, now deputy technical director of refereeing in charge of professional competitions, has outlined the main directions of the refereeing body to the professional clubs. Each Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 side has now had a visit from a member of the organisation to hear the instructions that will shape the new season.
The core idea is simple: give the game more room to breathe.
Referees will be expected to speed up restarts after penalties, free kicks near the box and corners. These set pieces can sometimes drag on forever, with players shuffling for position, trading words and getting into little stand-offs.
“Our aim is to make sure those phases are taken quickly,” says Benoit Bastien. The message is clear: every second matters.
Ligue 1 is already among the European leagues with a high amount of effective playing time. Now the refereeing body wants to push that even further, without turning officials into stopwatch obsessives.
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Yellow cards: the refereeing body wants an end to the petty nonsense
Another focus is the kind of behaviour that has nothing to do with football but has become part of the match-day scenery.
Referees will pay close attention to flashpoints at corners, where some players try to bother the goalkeeper or kick off a confrontation. The same goes for penalties, with extra vigilance on players who wander into the taker’s space to put him off.
Blatant diving is also in the crosshairs. From now on, a player who is clearly trying to deceive the referee can be booked, wherever on the pitch it happens.
Benoit Bastien says the goal goes beyond simply enforcing the laws. “We want to give a good image of our sport,” he says.
But any hard line will need balance. Said Ennjimi, who provides refereeing analysis for L’Equipe, backs the intention while warning against a mechanical approach. In his view, a flood of yellow cards could quickly muddy the message. The real challenge will be identifying exactly who is responsible in the middle of scrums or shoves.
The captain put at the centre of the referee’s conversation
This may be the most symbolic change of the lot. Faced with constant complaints, the refereeing body wants to put the captain back at the heart of things.
The aim is to make him “a strong and privileged point of contact”. In practical terms, only captains will be allowed to speak directly with the referee in the situations set out for it.
The bet is a double one: cut down the crowds gathering around the official and put responsibility back on the men wearing the armband. Instead of four, five or six players all demanding an explanation at once, just one will be allowed to speak.
On paper, it sounds straightforward. In the heat of a match, it may be a lot harder to enforce.
Said Ennjimi is staying cautious, too. In his view, too many changes could make the whole thing harder to follow if the instructions are not applied consistently.
That is the real test of the season. The rules can change, the guidance can be detailed, but the real examination starts when the pressure rises. In the final minutes of a tight match, with the crowd roaring, that is when French refereeing’s new approach will have to prove it can hold up.
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