Overview
- Teams entering final group matches Thursday faced a clear rule: two yellow cards equal a one-match suspension but yellow totals are wiped after the group stage and again after the quarterfinals.
- United States coach Mauricio Pochettino confronted that choice with four players carrying bookings, including Folarin Balogun and Chris Richards, and said it was unnecessary to risk picking players who might miss the next round.
- FIFA added new red-card triggers this tournament and officials have already enforced them, as Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron was sent off for covering his mouth and will serve at least the automatic one-game ban.
- The tournament’s expansion to 48 teams created more matches and led FIFA to add the two amnesty points, but accumulated cards still feed into a team conduct score that can decide tiebreakers for third-place teams.
- Coaches resting booked starters to avoid suspensions could change who plays in Round of 32 matches and alter immediate competitive outcomes, and the first formal yellow-card wipe will take effect before the opening knockout round.