Finally - New FIFA Rules Promise to Make the 2026 World Cup More Spectacular 0 11

One of the key innovations will be strict control over the player substitution procedure. Now, a player leaving the field must do so within 10 seconds; otherwise, their teammate coming on as a substitute will have to wait for permission to enter the game for a whole minute, leaving the team at a disadvantage. A similar 'one-minute' rule will apply to players who require medical assistance on the field: after examination, they will be required to leave the field for a set time, which should reduce the number of simulations.

Significant changes have also affected the video review system. VAR referees will now have the authority to review incidents related to issuing second yellow cards, as well as to check the correctness of controversial corner kicks, which was previously unavailable. Additionally, FIFA is introducing a 5-second limit for bringing the ball back into play from throw-ins or goal kicks. If the referee detects time-wasting, the ball will be awarded to the opponent for a throw-in, and in the case of delay during a goal kick, a corner kick will be awarded to the attacking team.