The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) Council approved a set of new rules that will be applied in the 2026 World Cup, scheduled to be held later this June in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, said in statements reported by the Spanish newspaper “Marca” that the aim of these amendments is to combat discrimination and wasting time, improve the relationship with the players, and enhance the fans’ experience.

The new rules include tightening penalties for wasting time and mutual insults between players, in addition to developing the video technology protocol, allowing intervention in cases of an incorrect second yellow card that leads to the expulsion of a player, or when a player is warned or expelled by mistake due to identity confusion.

Collina explained that FIFA seeks to reduce play stops, noting that the eight-second rule for goalkeepers has proven effective. A similar mechanism will be applied to throw-ins, as the referee gives the player 5 seconds to execute the throw after warning, and in the event of a delay, the throw is awarded to the opposing team.

As for goal kicks, the countdown will also be 5 seconds, and if the kick is not executed within the time limit, a corner kick will be awarded to the opposing team.

The amendments also touched on the habit of covering the mouth during conversations between players. Collina said that this behavior is not spontaneous, but rather a choice made by the player, stressing that the referee can, at his discretion, expel any player who covers his mouth during a confrontation with an opponent, whether with his hand, arm, or shirt.

The new rules also seek to limit objections to the referees’ decisions, as the referee can, at the discretion of the tournament organizer, announce the red card to any player who leaves the field in protest against an arbitration decision, as well as to any member of the technical staff who incites the players to do so. If a team causes the match to be stopped, it is considered to have lost in principle.

This measure comes after the crisis in the African Cup of Nations final at the beginning of this year, when Senegal withdrew from the match against Morocco before returning and winning the title. Then the Moroccan national team filed an official protest that led to the cancellation of Senegal’s crowning, while the latter’s appeal has not yet been decided.

In the substitution file, Colina explained that the substituted player will be required to leave the field within a maximum of 10 seconds. If he is late, the substitution will not be completed until the next stop, which may leave his team temporarily outnumbered, except in cases of injury or security concerns.

This rule was applied in the friendly match between Japan and Iceland, where the Icelandic team played with ten players for a short period after one of its players was late in leaving the field, a period that Japan took advantage of to score the first goal.

The rules also stipulate that an injured player receiving treatment on the field must leave and remain outside for one minute before being allowed to return, with the aim of giving the medical staff better time to evaluate his condition.

Hydration periods will also be adopted to protect the players, usually at the 22nd minute of each half, with the possibility of modifying them according to the circumstances of the match. (Championships)