Motions of interest at GAA Special Congress 2025:
By John Harrington
GAA Special Congress takes place on Saturday in Croke Park where a total of 62 motions will be debated and voted on by delegates with any changes adopted coming into effect on January 1, 2026.
Motion 1 proposes to amend the rule which states playing gear shall be made by an Irish manufacturer to one which is officially licensed by the GAA and in doing so bring the GAA into line with EU competition law.
Every other motion seeks to adopt on a permanent basis the Football Review Committee temporary rule changes made at Special Congress last year and amended by Central Council on March 13.
At the bottom of this article you can view and download the motions as they will appear before the delegates. You can also download some useful documents to read alongside examining the motions – GAA Official Guide Parts 1 & 2 and the Football Review Committee’s Final Report.
Some of the motions propose additional amendments, the most noteworthy of which are as follows:
MOTION 5
This Motion proposes to penalise a player who 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.
MOTION 6
This Motion pertains to the kick-out and requires that the ball shall now travel outside the 20metre line as well as the 40 metre arc before being played by another player of the defending team.
MOTION 20
This Motion proposes an amendment to the playing rules as they pertain to the Mark.
Currently under rule if a player doesn’t retreat 13 metres to allow an opponent to take their kick after claiming a mark or impedes them while they’re taking the kick, the referee penalises them by bringing the ball forward 50m, up to the defending team’s13m line.
This Motion proposes that in the case of a Kick Out Mark the player taking the free may choose to take the free kick from outside the 40m arc though the application of this Rule would otherwise result in a free kick from inside the 40m arc.
MOTION 22
The motion proposes an amendment to the two-point score. Previously a shot kicked from outside the 40 metre arc only registered as a two-point score rather than a single point score if it went over the bar without being touched by another player. So you often had a situation where a goalkeeper getting his hand to a shot from outside the arc on its way over the bar meant it was a single-point score rather than a two-pointer. This motion proposes that all converted shots from outside the arc count as two-point scores provided no other player from the same team as the shooter touches it after it’s kicked.
MOTION 32
This motion deals with how the solo and go should be availed of and now includes the amendment that where a solo and go is not taken from a position within four metres of where the foul has occurred the free must be taken from the hands or from the ground, at the point where the foul occurred
MOTION 40
This motion proposes that to deliberately deny a goal-scoring opportunity by pulling an opponent’s will be now join the list of cynical behaviour infractions which are penalised with a black card and a penalty.
MOTION 41
This motion proposes that the black card/penalty for cynical behaviour infractions will also apply at club level as well as inter-county Senior, U20, Minor and Junior level.
MOTION 47
This motion proposes that ‘disruptive conduct’ by team officials will penalised by giving the opposition a free on the 13-metre line. Where the infraction occurs immediately before the start of the game or during the half-time interval, the game shall start or restart with such a 13-metre free.
MOTION 58
This motion seeks to give sideline officials the power to bring to the attention of the referee any foul play or infraction of Rule by a team official.
MOTION 61
This motion proposes that if a player advances the ball deliberately from the place where a free or side line kick should be taken, or takes a sideline from a position not outside the boundary line, then a free is awarded to the opposition. The existing rule provides for a throw-in in these situations.