A new FIFA directive handed down this week means that three points will be awarded for a win in all of the leagues run by Bermuda Football Association next season.

The BFA are being forced, along with all other member countries, into the new points allotment system by the world governing body, which declared on Thursday that three points for a win is to become the standard in every league and competition around the world.

In addition it was announced that sudden-death extra time will also be introduced in the later stages of major international championships.

FIFA general secretary Sepp Blatter, referring to the three-points decision, said: "We have taken an important decision for all world and international soccer -- at all levels. This is to encourage attacking football, exciting football.'' Blatter was speaking after a FIFA executive committee meeting at the UN Plaza Hotel.

He made clear that leagues would not be required to change their scoring system in mid-season but added: "Three points will be universal and binding for everybody when a new season starts.'' Three points for a win also applied to amateur and youth leagues, Blatter said.

BFA general secretary David Sabir, when informed of the latest FIFA directive, had little comment, noting that the Association had not been officially notified by FIFA.

"I can't say anything right now,'' said Sabir. "If we get a directive from FIFA that has to be applied worldwide then it's self explanatory, we would have no choice.

"Still, certainly we'll have to look into how it would affect us in our own country.'' More revealing with his thoughts was North Village coach Robert Calderon, who while admiring the concept, remained sceptical as to whether the ruling would be of any great benefit to Bermuda.

"Clearly it makes for a more attacking game, but we don't need to learn to attack. Our players need to be structured more than anything else,'' said Calderon, whose Red Devils showed nothing lacking in their ability to attack with a 4-1 dismantling of Boulevard on Thursday night.

"It should bring some excitement with teams trying to score goals that will get a positive result. In that way it's a useful idea,'' he added.

"(But) it's something more necessary in places like Europe, England and South America where home and away is clearly defined and teams play for the away draw. The meaning of home and away has more significance over there as we have no team here that can really say they play better or have more of a chance at home than away... where exactly is away, there's only 21 miles.'' Crowds numbering as high as 100,000 can and often do make the difference in the performance of one team over another as can be attested by several Bermuda national squad members who have experienced the hazards of travelling into opposing confines.

In Europe, among the major leagues, the English Premier, Scottish Premier and Italian and French First Divisions already operate three points for a win. The German and Spanish retain two points for a win.

Blatter also announced that sudden-death extra time would take place before any penalty shootout to determine a winner in later rounds of international championships when teams are level after the regulation 90 minutes.

He acknowledged that sudden-death was being tested to address the unfulfilling, shoot-out end to this year's World Cup and suggested it might be adopted for the next World Cup.

"In forthcoming FIFA competitions, such as the world youth under-20, under-17 championships and in the women's championships, if in the quarter-finals, semi-finals or final there is no result after 90 minutes, extra time will be played...

"If during that time a goal is scored, it will be called the golden goal and the match is over.'' But if, after the 30 minutes of extra time, no goals were scored then a penalty shootout would still be used to settle the match.