New Football Rules for the FIFA World Cup 2026

The IFAB approved 10 rule changes at its 140th Annual General Meeting on February 28, 2026 in Hensol, Wales, all taking effect at the FIFA World Cup 2026 (June 11 to July 19). These are the most significant updates to the Laws of the Game since the introduction of the 8-second goalkeeper holding rule at the 139th AGM in Belfast on March 1, 2025.

The changes share a single objective: more football, fewer stoppages. For fans watching from London, Tokyo, or New York, that means matches that flow rather than stall, and fewer minutes of dead time eaten by gamesmanship.

Throw-in and goal kick countdowns

If the referee considers that a throw-in or goal kick is taking too long, a visible 5-second countdown begins. If the ball is not in play by the end of the countdown, possession switches. A delayed throw-in goes to the opposing team. A delayed goal kick becomes a corner kick.

Substitution clock: 10 seconds to leave

A substituted player has 10 seconds to leave the field. If they exceed that, the incoming substitute cannot enter until one minute of running-clock play has elapsed. The team plays with 10 for at least a minute.

Injury assessment: one minute off the field

Players who receive on-field treatment must now leave the field and remain off for one minute of running-clock play after the restart. Faking an injury now costs your team a player.

VAR expansion

VAR can now intervene on second yellow cards (clearly incorrect), mistaken identity, and incorrectly awarded corner kicks (competition option). The corner kick intervention has a speed constraint: if the review cannot happen in real time, it does not happen.

DOGSO: advantage played, goal scored, no card

If a referee plays advantage after a DOGSO foul and the attacking team scores, no card is issued. The goal-scoring opportunity was not denied because the goal was scored.

Referee body cameras

Competitions may now equip match officials with body cameras. Whether FIFA activates this at the 2026 World Cup is a competition decision.

Every factual claim in this article is sourced from IFAB official announcements and verified independently. For full match schedules in your timezone, see our Timezone Tax hub.