🚨 Refereeing: two major changes coming for the 2026 World Cup!

🚨 Refereeing: two major changes coming for the 2026 World Cup!

Major new changes for refereeing!

On Tuesday evening, while the football world had its eyes fixed on the fantastic match between PSG and Bayern Munich, the IFAB (International Football Association Board) officially announced two major changes to the rules of football.

First of all, the body unanimously approved that "any player covering their mouth during a confrontation with an opponent may be punished with a red card." A rule that will be applied "at the competition organizer's discretion."

In addition, the IFAB has also given referees the power to "show a red card to any player who leaves the pitch to protest a refereeing decision. This new rule will also apply to any staff member who encourages players to leave the pitch."

These new rules obviously follow the Vinicius/Prestianni affair, in which the Brazilian accused the Argentine of racist remarks, but also the 2025 AFCON final, when Senegal walked off the pitch to protest the penalty awarded to Morocco in the final seconds of the match.

These rules will probably not be the only new additions for the 2026 World Cup, since according to the BBC, FIFA is also planning to overhaul the suspension system for an accumulation of yellow cards.

Under the current system, with the addition of a new match, a player would have to go through six matches under the threat of an automatic suspension after two yellow cards.

According to the British media outlet, FIFA now wants to clear the yellow cards of players who have received only one at the end of the group stage. This would allow them to play any possible round of 32, round of 16, and quarter-finals without that threat hanging over their heads.

Another reset of yellow cards for players who have received only one would still take place after the quarter-finals to prevent key players from missing a possible final.