Football rule enhancements overwhelmingly voted in at Special Congress

October 04, 2025

GAA trustee John Murphy, GAA trustee Tracey Kennedy, Munster Council chairman Tim Murphy, Leinster Council chairman Derek Kent, GAA President Jarlath Burns, Ard Stiúrthóir of the GAA Tom Ryan, Ulster Council Chairman Michael Geoghegan and Connacht GAA Council president Vincent Neary at GAA Special Congress, Hogan Suite, Croke Park ©INPHO/Tom Maher

GAA Special Congress has passed all of the Football Review Committee’s proposals at Croke Park today.

The 62 motions were endorsed in just under 45 minutes at GAA headquarters, with all of them going through in overwhelming majority except the hooter/stop-clock motion, which got through with 67%.

It means that rules such as the two-pointer, solo and go and 4 v 3, which were introduced to the game this year, are here to stay and now set for inclusion in the GAA rule book.

There were a couple of motions which did have additional amendments, with the two-point score now set to count provided no other player from the same team as the shooter touches it after it's kicked. Previously, if a player got his hand to a two-pointer before it went over the bar it was counted as one point.

Another additional amendment reads: “If a player moves from the sideline or 45m line before the referee has thrown in the ball to start or restart the game by awarding a free-kick to the opposition from the middle of the half-way line. If opposition players foul simultaneously, the referee will start/restart the game again as normal.”

FRC chairman and Irish presidential candidate Jim Gavin was in attendance at Special Congress this morning but took a back seat role and didn't speak.

All 62 motions were passed at GAA Special Congress today as the Football Review Committee rule enhancements were overwhelmingly backed by delegates. #GAABelong
— The GAA (@officialgaa) October 4, 2025