Multiball

[cassidystash]

From the 2025/26 season the National League have introduced a multiball system for all clubs for all league fixtures.
With the start of the new season little over a month away on August 9 a multiball system has been put in place for clubs competing across all three Enterprise National League divisions.
The IFAB Laws of the Game state: “Law 2.3: The Ball – Additional balls which meet the requirements of Law 2 may be placed around the field of play and their use is under the referee’s control.”
From this season there will be 10 match balls allocated for each fixture:
One ball in play
One ball with the fourth official
Eight balls distributed around the pitch
The eight balls will be placed on cones around the pitch next to a ball retriever – split as two along either touchline and two either side of each goal.
The use of the multi-ball system would be managed by the referee and – if deemed necessary – the multiball system can be deactivated for the remainder of the fixture.

Thoughts?

[Northumbiron]

Is the Ball Retriever a bona-fide Kennel Club breed or a cross between a Pointer and a Pit Bull?

2 users thanked author for this post.

Rene Artois, lesgeo

[ironfromafar]

Sounds to me like a loads of balls !! ..

Will it help to stop time wasting ?? we experienced plenty of that during our NLN time with some ala Alfreton and Buxton being masters of the art.

Suppose its just how the game is going ..what next substituted players being interviewed as they come off the pitch …oh hang on a mo

[cassidystash]

Northumbiron wrote:

Is the Ball Retriever a bona-fide Kennel Club breed or a cross between a Pointer and a Pit Bull?

Sponsorship opportunity incoming.

[Deereyme66]

‘multiball!!!’ stadium announcement, similar to pinball, followed by 8-10 balls on the pitch at once could be interesting. 30 secs to score as many goals as possible, then clear the decks.

1 user thanked author for this post.

ironingboard

[Iron-awe]

Seems to work at bigger grounds with bigger pitch areas at the sides, not sure how the narrow track round the AA would cope with extra balls on cones, probably spend half their time getting knocked off with players or the match ball just bashing into the cones causing delays rather than save time.

[Awaywego]

Will it be the same as in tennis, they get 4 thrown at them and then bat 2 of them away and only use the ones they like.

First championship game, Charlton they had balls and ballboys to cobble dogs with to speed the game up, our players wouldn’t play ball though, big shock that day with the pace of championship football.

[Apollo11]

Ridiculous.

[64]

“Ball boy number 8 sponsored By Symes Baines etc”

[ironfromafar]

64 wrote:

“Ball boy number 8 sponsored By Symes Baines etc”

Yes im guessing Mr Sparks is already working on such a deal, i expect the search for sponsors to intensify as the days go by.

[Rene Artois]

“It’s football Jim, but not as we know it.” – Star Trekkin, The Firm.

Will we need “new balls” inflated to the correct pressure & weight at half time?

Will the “ball receivers” be allocated a tin of WD40 to negate the oppositions long throw?

When do you think the game will go completely ‘non contact’ thus allowing for mixed teams and ‘equality’ to grace the fields of dreams?

Will we see teams then having to field a quota of female players – 3 would be a good starter to fulfil the development of the people’s game?

[Author]

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