The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to be heavily regulated. As the showpiece gets underway in the United States, Mexico and Canada, it will be guided by a series of significant rule changes aimed at improving discipline, reducing time wasting and increasing the accuracy of officiating. ALSO READ: Who are the oldest players at 2026 World Cup? Here is what to know about the new rules: Players not allowed to cover their mouth during confrontation Among the most striking changes are new disciplinary rules targeting player behaviour. Players who cover their mouths with their hand, arm or shirt during confrontational situations will now risk receiving a red card, a measure designed to improve transparency and discourage abusive conduct. Players who leave the pitch in protest of a refereeing decision will also face dismissal, while teams responsible for causing a match to be abandoned will automatically forfeit the game. VAR given greater powers Technology will play an even bigger role at the 2026 World Cup after FIFA approved an expansion of VAR powers. Video officials will now be able to intervene in cases involving wrongly awarded second yellow cards, mistaken identity incidents and incorrectly awarded corner kicks. VAR will also be permitted to review certain offences committed before the ball is in play during set pieces. Cracking down on time wasting FIFA has also intensified its efforts to combat one of football most persistent frustrations: time wasting. Referees will have greater authority to enforce quicker restarts during throw-ins and goal kicks through 5 second countdown procedures. The objective is to maximize effective playing time and prevent teams from deliberately slowing the pace of matches. Substitutions will also come under closer scrutiny, with players expected to leave the field promptly when replaced. Tactical injury break under watch Another growing concern for FIFA is the use of injuries as unofficial tactical timeouts. While FIFA stopped short of introducing formal sanctions, FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina has made it clear that referees will be proactive in preventing teams from exploiting injury stoppages to receive coaching instructions. Teams will no longer be allowed to gather around their benches while a player, particularly a goalkeeper, receives treatment on the field. FIFA hopes the measure will discourage tactical interruptions without penalising genuinely injured players.
