It is reported that the current 6-second rule (the goalkeeper cannot hold the ball with both hands for more than 6 seconds) was originally intended to prevent goalkeepers from holding the ball for too long, but this rule is almost never strictly enforced.

The ongoing trial will increase the ball possession time limit to eight seconds, with the final five seconds counted down by the referee using hand gestures, and change the penalty for timeouts to a throw-in or corner kick.

The rulemakers believe the current rule is not enforced for two reasons: first, strict enforcement of the rule means goalkeepers sometimes have to let the ball go while still surrounded by opposition players, and second, the penalty for holding on to the ball too long - an indirect free kick in the penalty area - is too harsh for this infraction.

England's PL2 league is one of the competitions testing the rule this season, with the opposition being awarded a corner kick if the eight-second limit is exceeded, and another trial is underway in Malta.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is understood to be optimistic about the positive development of the trial towards future rule changes, but IFAB directors are expected to agree to continue the trial next year rather than change the rules for the 2025-26 season, and they will discuss the matter at their annual general meeting in Belfast on Saturday.

FIFA will also submit a report to IFAB on the progress of the Video Support (VS) system, which is intended to be used in competitions that do not have the resources to implement full Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology.

In the VS system, the coach can request a re-examination of the penalty. If the referee believes that there is an obvious error in the penalty after reviewing the video, the penalty can be changed. If the penalty is changed, the coach still retains all two request opportunities. If the original decision is upheld, one request opportunity is lost.

The VS system has so far only been trialled at FIFA competitions, including the Women’s U17 and U20 World Cups, and results and feedback from the use of the system at these tournaments will be discussed at the AGM on Saturday, while national associations can also apply to trial the system themselves.

It is unclear whether the Championship will seek to be one of the competitions involved in the trial, or whether it would be eligible given the large number of cameras even in League Two.

A league spokesperson said: “The league continues to monitor the progress of IFAB’s work and emerging technologies to support match officials. While we are mindful of the impact on the authenticity of the live fan experience, as well as the cost of implementation for clubs, this remains an ongoing area of ​​our review and any changes will require detailed discussion and approval by our clubs.”

IFAB will also receive an update on the progress of offside trials designed to give attacking players a greater advantage. One rule change being trialled means an attacking player can be in front of the penultimate defender and still be onside - as long as a part of their body that can score a goal is at least level with the penultimate defender, commonly known as the "daylight" rule.

The rule change, championed by FIFA's global football development director Arsene Wenger, has been trialled at an U18 tournament in Italy.