MLS has officially revealed a number of significant changes for the 2024 season, including substitution regulations that Messi must be aware of.

MLS has revised various rules for the new 2024 season in an effort to boost the tournament’s attractiveness, particularly to avoid wasting time on the pitch and adopt efficient VAR.

The most noticeable change in the updated rules is the substitution time. Substitutions are now timed and limited to 10 seconds under the new rules.

If the substituted player does not leave the field within 10 seconds, the team will be penalized by making the substitute wait 60 seconds before entering the field. If there is a delay in substitution, the team will have to play with 10 guys in one minute.

This regulation does not apply to injured substitutes or goalkeepers. However, it will serve as a caution to players who purposefully purchase time by leaving the field slowly.

Messi must also pay close heed to this new rule. When the coach allows him to rest, the Inter Miami star has a tendency of slowly going off the pitch. If Messi does not want Inter Miami to play with ten players starting in 2024, he may have to run off the pitch.

According to 2023 MLS NEXT PRO data, 99.7% of the more than 3,200 substitutions were done in 10 seconds or fewer.

Aside from the substitution timing rule, MLS has implemented a number of new rules, including VAR announcements at stadiums (referees will announce VAR judgments to the on-field and broadcast audiences). Furthermore, the on-field clock will run until the end of each half (for example, 95:04).

The rules for injury treatment are also timed. As a result, if a player with a suspected injury remains on the field for more than 15 seconds, the referee will call a 2-minute timeout to allow a doctor to join the field.

A new regulation linked to equality states that if a player from both sides sustains a head injury and requires treatment off the field, both will enter the field at the same time when they return to play.

MLS 2024 will begin in February of next year. Inter Miami will begin a four-country trip in mid-January to prepare for the upcoming season. Notably, Messi will face Ronaldo on February 1 in a friendly against Al Nassr.