Football's lawmakers are poised to make the 10-yard punishment rule universal throughout the game.
The rule, which gives referees the power to move a free kick a further 10 yards towards a team's goal-line in the event of unsporting behaviour, has been on trial this season in the English professional game. It has also been used in Scotland in the CIS Insurance Cup.
At a meeting in Edinburgh next month, the International Football Association Board will decide whether to introduce it worldwide.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter and general secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen are to represent football's governing body at the board's annual meeting on March 10.
Also on the agenda is a proposal from the Irish Football Association that only players can be shown red or yellow cards. This is designed to prevent confusion which often follows the punishment of managers and team officials for offences during matches.
Experiments with a referee in each half of the pitch and the use of goal-line technology to determine if the ball has crossed the line will also be discussed but no rulings on these issues will be made. PA