Overview
- The changes take effect on June 1, 2026, and are expected to apply at the 2026 World Cup.
- VAR will be allowed to review clearly wrong second yellow cards that lead to a red, correct mistaken identity, and—where an instant check is feasible—verify wrongly awarded corners at competitions that opt in.
- Referees can trigger a visible five-second countdown for delayed throw-ins or goal kicks, after which possession switches hands or a corner is awarded to the opponents.
- Players have 10 seconds to leave during substitutions; if they exceed it, the team plays short until the next stoppage and the replacement cannot enter before one minute of play has elapsed.
- Any player treated on the field must exit and remain off for at least one minute after play restarts, with exceptions for goalkeepers and incidents that drew a yellow or red card.