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FIFA’s new World Cup rules will change how teams protect a lead
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- FIFA’s new World Cup rules will change how teams protect a lead
Photo by Manuel Velasquez - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
The 2026 World Cup is approaching with a bigger format and a sharper focus on rhythm, not only spectacle.
The 48-team tournament will be staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada , and FIFA, alongside IFAB, want the matches themselves to feel quicker.
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Their target is obvious. More soccer, less dead time, and clearer punishment when teams try to protect a result by dragging every restart.
New World Cup rules target time-wasting
Photo by Ayman Aref/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Different from what happened in 2022, throw-ins and goal kicks will now use a five-second visual countdown if the referee believes the restart is being delayed. A slow throw-in can be reversed, while a delayed goal kick becomes a corner.
Substitutions will also be timed. A player being replaced must leave within 10 seconds, or the substitute waits at least one minute before entering, leaving the team temporarily short.
Players treated on the pitch must stay off for 60 seconds after play restarts. However, there are some exceptions: goalkeepers, serious injuries and incidents where an opponent is booked or sent off.
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Other World Cup rule changes also matter
VAR's role is expanding, but only in specific areas. Second yellow cards that produce a red can be checked, but officials will not review possible second yellows that were not given.
Corners can also be checked if a clear mistake can be corrected quickly before the restart. However, that power does not apply to wrongly awarded goal kicks.
FIFA and IFAB are also developing tougher measures around players covering their mouths when confronting opponents, an area lawmakers believe needs clearer control.
Together, the changes show where the game is heading. The 2026 World Cup will not only be bigger, it should also force players to restart faster and waste less.
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