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IFAB Revamps 2026 World Cup Rules, Expands VAR Review

6/1/2026

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Summary

IFAB Announces Changes

IFAB announced changes for 2026 World Cup in United States, Mexico and Canada.
VAR may review second yellow cards, mistaken-identity cases, corner kicks or fouls before play resumes.
Covering the mouth and leaving the field in protest earn a red card, causing a team that abandons a match to forfeit the game.
Throw-ins have a five-second countdown that awards possession, goal-kicks award a corner, with a three-minute break each half.

Summary

Collina Defends VAR

The new clampdown rule allows penalties only when attackers foul before a set-piece.
Pierluigi Collina defended the expanded VAR authority, saying it prevents teams from losing matches because of unnoticed incidents.
Critics call the rule a “one-way traffic” measure that penalizes attackers while sparing defenders, fueling debate over VAR’s impact on game flow.

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IFAB Announces Changes

IFAB announced changes for 2026 World Cup in United States, Mexico and Canada.
VAR may review second yellow cards, mistaken-identity cases, corner kicks or fouls before play resumes.
Covering the mouth and leaving the field in protest earn a red card, causing a team that abandons a match to forfeit the game.
Throw-ins have a five-second countdown that awards possession, goal-kicks award a corner, with a three-minute break each half.

1 / 2