IFAB mandates strict disciplinary and tempo reforms for 2026 World Cup

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has announced a comprehensive set of amendments to the laws of the game, which will take effect at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the subsequent 2026-2027 season. FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina described the updates as landmark changes designed to tackle discrimination, reduce time-wasting, and improve the overall match tempo. The regulations will be enforced from the tournament’s commencement on June 11.

A significant disciplinary measure introduces an automatic red card for players who cover their mouths with their hands, arms, or shirts during confrontational situations. This protocol follows an incident involving Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, who received a six-game suspension extended worldwide for allegedly making discriminatory slurs against Vinicius Jr while covering his mouth. The rule explicitly excludes friendly conversations between teammates from opposing national teams.

To address match abandonment, teams that cause a game to be forfeited will now lose the match outright. This provision was introduced following Senegal’s walkout during the Africa cup of Nations final against Morocco. Additionally, players leaving the field to protest a referee’s decision, or officials inciting such protests, will be issued a red card.

Time management reforms include a mandatory three-minute hydration break in each half, typically scheduled around the 22nd minute, with referees granted flexibility to adjust timing based on injuries. Referees will also utilise a visual five-second countdown for throw-ins and goal kicks; failure to restart play within this window results in possession being awarded to the opposing team. Substitutes must exit the field within 10 seconds, with delays in entry permitted only if the player fails to comply, in which case entry is delayed until the first stoppage after one minute.

The protocol for the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) will be expanded beyond its initial introduction in 2017 and the Russia 2018 World Cup. VAR will now check for incorrect second yellow cards, mistaken identity, incorrectly awarded corners, and fouls committed before a restart. These measures aim to ensure stricter adherence to procedural integrity and disciplinary standards across international competition.