Explaining football’s law changes ahead of the 2026 World Cup
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has announced a raft of landmark rule changes that will come into force ahead of this summer’s World Cup, with the overarching objectives being to tackle discrimination, cut time-wasting, increase match tempo and improve fan and player experience.
“We are trying to clean the game as much as possible,” Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA referees committee, told reporters.
Among the changes will be:
- A red card for covering the mouth in a confrontational situation
- A red card for leaving the field of play in protest at a match official’s decision
- VAR to overturn incorrectly awarded corners
- Changes to on-field treatment rules
Collina is leading the implementation, while the World Cup’s 170 officials will take part in a final preparatory seminar in Miami on Tuesday.
All 48 national team coaches were involved in a workshop to detail the law changes — which for the World Cup also includes a three-minute cooling break 22 minutes into each half — and every player will receive the same explanations before the tournament starts on June 11.
Coaches and players will also receive updated guidance on what constitutes handball with video clips covering all possible scenarios, although Collina conceded that it was not the “100 per cent answer” as the smallest difference may be interpreted differently by different referees.
The Athletic breaks down what to expect and how the new rules may shape the World Cup and beyond.
Red card for covering mouth during a confrontation
Any player who covers his mouth in a confrontational situation could receive a red card.
Players will still be able to cover their mouths when conversing normally, but outlawing the act during disagreements is designed to remove plausible deniability for any player accused of making discriminatory remarks while their mouth is obscured.
In April, Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni received a six-game suspension by UEFA, European football’s governing body, for making a homophobic comment to Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior during a Champions League match in February.
The Brazilian had alleged Prestianni racially abused him, which Prestianni denied, when the Argentine’s jersey was pulled up over his mouth.
“If it is a friendly conversation, they can continue to do it without any problem,” explained Collina.
“We respect that there are players who are friends and it is normal to chat before, during or after the match. When it is confrontational, it is a completely different story. Covering the mouth means you are doing something potentially very wrong.”
“This is something you do on purpose,” Collina added. “It is not something that a player can do instinctively.”
Leaving the field in protest against a match official’s decision
Senegal walked off the pitch during the Africa Cup of Nations final in January against Morocco when the hosts were awarded a controversial stoppage-time penalty.
Head coach Pape Thiaw encouraged his players to leave the field in protest and the game only resumed after a 16-minute hiatus. Senegal went on to win the match on penalties, but in March the result was overturned with Africa’s governing body, the Central African Confederation (CAF), citing the mass exit as an infringement which merited a 3-0 forfeit. Senegal are appealing the ruling.
Most of Senegal’s players walked off the pitch in protest during the Africa Cup of Nations final (Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty Images)
IFAB has given referees the power to show a red card to any player who leaves the field in protest at a match official’s decision, or to any team official inciting players to leave the field. Any team that causes a match to be abandoned will, in principle, forfeit the match.
VAR to overturn incorrectly awarded corners
When the IFAB first introduced VAR in 2017 at the Confederations Cup, its remit was limited to goals, penalties, red cards and mistaken identity on red cards.
After nine years, the technology’s scope has now been extended. There are three new situations in which VAR will be able to intervene:
- Adjudicating on clearly incorrect second yellow cards
- Mistaken identity on yellow and red cards, if committed by another player on either team
- Incorrectly awarded corner kicks — although it does not extend to reversing a goal kick that should have been a corner
Collina stressed that a corner would only be reversed if it could be corrected immediately by VAR without delaying the restart. There is no strict time limit for a decision to be made.
“It is a matter of how long it takes to take a corner kick,” Collina said.
“They are not often taken immediately, as they need defenders to come from the opposite end, so it takes time. From our point of view, it is not understandable that the corner was wrongly given but is taken.
“I want to be very clear, we don’t delay anything. We don’t need any review from the referee. It is a matter of fact that becomes clear before they take the corner kick and we change the decision.”
Referee Michael Salisbury checks the pitch-side VAR monitor (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
One of Collina’s stated aims is to increase the tempo of the game but, for the portion of spectators opposed to VAR in principle, they may see its widening powers as bringing additional disruption.
“I would ask those passionate football fans if they would be happy if their team or national team lost an important competition because of this? Would they be happy and say, ‘OK, we lost to a fake corner kick but we accept it because it is written that VAR cannot intervene’. Or would they prefer to have the correct decision taken?”
The rule could face logistical challenges, however. The attacking team, knowing it was a dubious call, could take the corner short to circumvent any checks as VAR has been instructed not to delay the game.
There is also the challenge for defenders who have made their way forward, expecting a corner, suddenly having to backtrack if a goal kick is given instead.
Efforts to curb time-wasting
The eight-second release rule for goalkeepers, introduced at the start of the season, has been judged to be a great success by the IFAB.
Referees provide a visual five-second warning by raising their hand and goalkeepers know they only have a few seconds to release the ball from their hands or risk conceding a corner. The IFAB is expanding the principle to goal kicks and throw-ins, with the aim of minimising time-wasting.
If a goalkeeper is felt to be deliberately delaying the restart, the referee will start a similar five-second countdown and, if the ball is not released in that time, a corner can be awarded to the opposition. The countdown applies to throw-ins, with the punishment being a throw-in to the opposition from the same spot.
“We are not expecting to have many throw-ins or corner kicks given, we expect the players to respect the limits given,” said Colina, who did not rule out time limits for corners and free kicks in the future but stressed that context would be taken into account.
“On corners, there is a sort of ceremonial (time delay) as the central defenders come from the opposite end, which takes time,” said Collina.
“We rely on the referees being proactive and dealing with these possible delays in the normal manner. I would highlight another scenario is that a player might come from far for a long throw into the penalty area. A bit more time can be given if the team needs this player to get the ball.”
There will also be a time limit applied to substituted players leaving the pitch, which Collina believed had been very effective since its introduction in MLS.
Substituted players will have 10 seconds to make their way off the pitch, or the nearest part of the perimeter. The referee can show the five-second countdown to enforce the rule. If it is not adhered to, the oncoming player will only be permitted to enter the pitch at the first stoppage after a minute of play has elapsed.
Exceptions apply to injured players, or if there are safety or security reasons that would make leaving a certain part of the pitch unsafe.
On-field treatment delay
Players who require on-field treatment from medical staff will have to leave the field of play for one minute after the restart, bar notable exceptions.
They include: an injury to a goalkeeper; a goalkeeper and an outfielder have collided and need attention; players from the same team have collided and require attention; a head injury or concussion has occurred; a player is injured as a result of a yellow- or red-card offence; or a penalty has been awarded and the injured player is the taker.
Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez receives treatment during a match against Nottingham Forest earlier this month (Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images)
Notably, no new rule is in place to tackle the trend of goalkeepers going down to receive treatment, a delay tactic used at times to allow their manager to hold an impromptu team talk.
A workshop was held on the issue at the last IFAB meeting in March with all 48 competing nations. “I’m afraid we didn’t get a solution agreed by everybody,” said Collina.
“We told them that referees will be proactive and will not allow the two teams to go to the bench when a goalkeeper is lying down injured. He has a right to be injured, but the players do not have the right to have a timeout. Certainly, something will be done in the future.”
VAR and fouls before set pieces
For the World Cup, the IFAB has also approved a clarification to the VAR protocol regarding clear offences committed by the attacking team before the ball is in play at a corner kick or free kick that have a direct impact on a goal, penalty kick, or disciplinary sanction.
If the offence meets the criteria set out in the clarification, VAR will recommend an on-field review, following which — if the referee determines that an offence occurred before the ball was in play — the appropriate disciplinary action will be taken and the corner kick or free kick will be retaken.
Before any decision on its broader application is made, the clarification will be reviewed after the tournament.
The laws had dictated that fouls which precede the ball becoming live could not be punished. However, Collina identified this as a loophole, citing Adam Wharton’s illegal block against Uruguay that led to Ben White’s goal for England in March as an example of what they hoped to eradicate.
“I don’t think any of you would be happy for a goal coming as a result of a foul being committed and the reason being that VAR cannot intervene because of protocol,” said Collina.
“Let’s sort this and see what can be next. Changing a wrong corner decision and a foul committed by an attacker is a good step forward.”