IFAB Approves Major Package of Rule Changes Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, football’s law-making body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), has approved the biggest package of rule changes in several years, with the tournament set to be the first major competition to use them. Among the key changes, referees will begin a visible five-second countdown for throw-ins and goal kicks to combat time wasting; if a throw-in is not taken in time, possession goes to the opposing team, and if a goal kick is delayed, the opponents receive a corner kick. 

For substitutions, the player leaving must exit within ten seconds using the nearest boundary line, and if they delay, the replacement cannot enter until the next stoppage after one minute of play has elapsed. Injured outfield players who receive treatment must leave the field and cannot return until one minute after play restarts, with exceptions for goalkeeper injuries, serious injuries, head injuries, and certain penalty situations.

VAR powers have been expanded to intervene in additional situations, including a clearly incorrect second yellow card that results in a red card, mistaken identity for yellow or red cards, a wrongly awarded corner kick if the review is immediate, and fouls that occurred before a set-piece restart. Players who leave the field to protest a referee’s decision can be sent off, and teams abandoning matches in protest may forfeit the game, with team officials who encourage such actions also subject to sanctions. 

Competitions may allow referees to wear chest-mounted or head-mounted cameras, with the competition organiser controlling the footage and usage. Players may now wear previously prohibited items if they are non-dangerous, properly covered, and securely fastened. For dropped balls, possession should go to the team that would likely have had the ball if play had not been stopped. The laws now formally include guidance on accidental double touches by the penalty taker. 

Also Read: Plateau State, Namibia Discuss Strategic Partnership on Tourism, Mining

The extensive package of changes is aimed at improving game flow, reducing time wasting, enhancing fairness, and leveraging technology for better officiating. The 2026 World Cup, to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will serve as the first major test of these new regulations.