According to Jam Jam Online and quoted by Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper, the International Football Federation (FIFA) is considering making important changes in the disciplinary rules of the 2026 World Cup. A change that aims to reduce the impact of suspensions caused by yellow cards and increase the presence of key players in the knockout stages of these competitions.
According to this proposal, which is to be reviewed at the FIFA Council meeting in Vancouver, Canada, players’ yellow cards will be removed at two critical points in the matches; Once after the end of the group stage and another time after the quarter final stage.
The purpose of this measure is to reduce the possibility of players being banned in critical matches due to receiving previous warnings.
If this plan is approved, we will see a significant change in the way of managing disciplinary records in the biggest football tournament in the world; The competition is hosted by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico.
Under current rules, players who receive yellow cards in two separate matches before the quarter-finals are automatically banned from the next match. This law is established with the aim of maintaining order and preventing the repetition of violations during the matches.
However, FIFA is now considering reforms to reduce the impact of yellow cards in the early stages so that players are not sent off at critical stages due to accumulated bookings in lesser matches.
These changes are also related to the new structure of the 2026 World Cup; Where 48 teams will be present for the first time and a new stage named Round of 16 (32 teams) will be added to the competition. This issue has caused an increase in the number of games and as a result, the probability of receiving a yellow card and banning players has increased.
FIFA officials are worried that if the current rules continue, some of the world’s biggest football stars will miss important matches due to previous warnings.
Based on this, by erasing the cards at specific times, FIFA seeks to balance between maintaining discipline and ensuring the presence of the best players in the final stages.
At the same time, this proposal may face reactions and debates among football officials because some believe that reducing the severity of disciplinary rules can lead to weakening the order and integrity of the matches.
