FIFA intends to change the rules regarding suspensions due to yellow cards at the final stage of the 2026 World Cup.
Medianews.az reports that this information was published by BBC.
According to the source, it is planned to add a second amnesty phase to the rules, meaning that yellow cards will be reset both after the group stage and after the quarter-final matches. Under the current rules, a team must play five matches to advance to the quarter-finals, and receiving any two warnings during these matches results in suspension. With the expansion of the final stage from 32 to 48 participants, the introduction of an additional round significantly increases the risk of elimination. FIFA fears that if the regulations are not changed, more players playing up to six matches before the quarter-finals will reach the penalty limit and consequently have to miss the semi-final matches.
It is considered that resetting the cards in two phases is fairer than raising the number of cards required for suspension to three, and it will reduce the number of eliminations in crucial matches. This issue will be discussed at the FIFA Council meeting to be held in Vancouver on April 28. According to the new rules, the suspension limit will remain at two warnings, but the possibility of players being penalized will be limited to two short time intervals. Thus, for a player to miss the next match, they will have to receive yellow cards in two out of three group stage matches, or in two of the 1/16 final, 1/8 final, and quarter-final matches. //Operative Media