New rules are coming under the spotlight in North America.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will see some changes involving players covering their mouths and timed substitutions, among other areas. They were put in place by the International Football Association Board (IFAB).
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That includes the Video Assistant Referee — VAR for short — where several new aspects of the game will be permitted to review.
Here’s a breakdown of what is coming across the games in the U.S., Mexico and Canada this summer:
Red cards for covering mouths
Any player who uses their hand, arm or shirt to cover their mouth while confronting an opponent will be issued a red card. The rule stems from the Champions League incident earlier this season involving Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. and Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni.
The key distinction would have to be confrontation, as players can still cover their mouths for friendly conversations in which they don’t want their lips to be read.
10-second substitutions
Once a player is called to be substituted, they have 10 seconds to find the nearest exit. If they don’t, the substitute player will have to wait a minute for the next stoppage to enter the pitch, meaning their team will temporarily play with 10 men.
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5-second restarts
In the event a referee feels a player is taking too long on a throw in or corner kick, a five-second countdown will begin. If the ball is not in play by then, the referee can switch possession to the defending team.
Hydration breaks
With players set to face grueling heat across the three countries, hydration breaks will be included in each half to allow for a few minutes of recovery.
New reviews for the VAR
Here are some new instances the VAR will be able to review:
- An incorrectly awarded corner kick if it doesn’t delay the restart.
- Any attacking fouls that happen before play is started, such as restarting from a dead ball. Previously, no foul would count until the ball is live.
- A red card issued from a second yellow that is clearly and obviously incorrect.
- Possible mistaken identity when a player is issued a yellow or red card for a foul committed by another player.
Injured players leaving the field
If an outfield player needs treatment by the medical staff, they have to leave the field for one minute. The exceptions are collisions, signs of severe injury and goalkeepers.
Goalkeeper injury tactical timeouts
Sometimes players will go to their manager in the technical area for advice during a goalkeeper injury. Now they’ll be told to stay put on the field, though no disciplinary action will be imposed if they still proceed.
Players leaving the pitch in protest
Any player who leaves the field for protesting a refereeing decision will be shown a red card, which also applies to coaches who encourage the idea. If a team forces a match to be abandoned, they would have to forfeit. The notions stem from the recent Senegal and Morocco AFCON final.
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