In a pivotal moment of the game, Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams held onto the ball for longer than the allowed 8 seconds. The referee, in line with the new regulation, awarded a corner kick to Ulsan—marking the first official enforcement of the rule in a FIFA competition.
Despite the rare decision, Sundowns held firm, going on to secure a narrow 1–0 victory thanks to a first-half goal from Iqraam Rayners. The win not only gave the South African champions a strong start in Group F but also placed them in the spotlight as the first team involved in a match where FIFA’s timing regulation was actively applied.
The incident has sparked discussion across the football world, with many praising the enforcement of rules designed to speed up the game and reduce time-wasting.
What do you think of the new 8-second rule? Fair or too strict? Let the debate begin.