Eight new rule changes that will be in place for 2026 World Cup matches
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- If a substitute takes over 10 seconds to exit, the replacement must wait one minute.
- Injured players treated on-field must leave play and remain out for one minute.
- A three-minute hydration break will occur midway through each half and be added to.
Whether you plan to watch on television or at Arrowhead Stadium, the 2026 World Cup will look a little different to fans.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) made changes to the official laws of the game, and they will be instituted at the World Cup. And FIFA has announced some tweaks to the game as well.
Here are eight rule changes to know before the first World Cup match is played.
1. Faster substitutions
A substituted player must leave the field of play within 10 seconds to prevent time-wasting and disruption to the match, IFAB said. If the player takes longer, the new player can’t take the field until the first stoppage after one minute has elapsed following the restart.
This rule came into play during the Iceland-Japan game this past weekend.
2. Injury changes
Players who are injured and require a trainer to attend to them on the field must leave the pitch and stay out of the game for a minute. This will end the practice of a player getting medical attention but staying in the game, which sometimes would be a time-wasting move.
The IFAB said this rule will take place in one of three scenarios: The referee has signalled for the medical staff to enter the field of play; the referee has signaled medical personnel to attend to the player; and/or the referee has asked the player if they require on-field medical attention and the player has requested it.
3. The 5-second rule
A team will have 5 seconds for both a throw-in or goal kick. Any team that takes longer will cede the throw-in to the other team or give the opponent a corner kick.
This also is to prevent time-wasting, particularly at the end of a game.
4. Watch your mouth
Reuters said the IFAB also ruled that players who cover their mouth during a “confrontation” with an opposing player could be shown a red card. Also, players who leave the field in protest at a referee’s decision may be red-carded.
5. New VAR power, Part I
An ESPN story said a video assistant referee can “step in if a clear foul committed by the attacking team before the ball is in play leads to a direct impact on a goal, penalty kick or disciplinary sanction.”
This would particularly come into play on a corner kick when players are often jockeying for position.
It can also be used if a corner kick is incorrectly awarded to a team.
6. New VAR power, Part II
Players who receive a red card after an incorrectly given yellow card can have the infraction rescinded by VAR, Reuters reported.
Also, if a player is shown a yellow or red card for an infraction committed by another player, VAR may intercede to make sure it’s given to the correct player.
7. Four quarters?
There will be a hydration break midway through both halves of every game, regardless of where it is played. They will last three minutes and the time will be added to stoppage time. This essentially will break the game into four quarters.
The Athletic reported coaches will be able to discuss game strategies on their laptops during that break in action, and that is a big change for soccer.
8. Fewer offside delays
The BBC reported that FIFA plans to use semi-automated offside for VAR, “which should make decisions faster and mean an assistant can raise the flag rather than wait for a move to play out.”
The referee’s assistant will receive an audio alert during World Cup matches if a player is more than 10 centimeters offside. The assistant will then raise his or her flag.
This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 7:42 AM with the headline "Eight new rule changes that will be in place for 2026 World Cup matches."
