FIFA may soon change a key rule for the upcoming World Cup to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The world football governing body is considering easing the suspension system linked to yellow cards to ensure that star players remain available for the knockout stages.
According to discussions scheduled at the FIFA Council, a reform would reset yellow cards at two crucial points in the tournament: the end of the group stage and after the quarter-finals. The goal is to limit suspensions in decisive matches, which are often affected by cautions accumulated earlier in the competition.
An adjustment tied to the expanded 48-team format
With the 2026 World Cup expanding to 48 teams, the schedule has grown longer, notably including a round of 32. In this context, FIFA believes the risk of “automatic” suspensions is higher and could deprive the finals of essential players.
Currently, a player can be suspended after receiving two yellow cards across several consecutive matches before the quarter-finals. With the proposed reform, this rule would be partially relaxed to reduce absences in the knockout rounds.
FIFA is expecting to agree to wipe all yellow cards at the end of the World Cup group stages and the quarter-finals to reduce danger of players missing knockout matches.The new rules around suspensions for accumulated bookings at this year’s tournament in the United States,… pic.twitter.com/crMyQtKsBW
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) April 27, 2026
A debate between sporting fairness and protecting the spectacle
FIFA justifies this move as a way to preserve sporting fairness and the quality of the spectacle. The idea is to prevent key players from missing crucial matches due to disciplinary issues accumulated too early in the tournament.
However, this reform could also reignite debate over the consistency of disciplinary rules, with some arguing it could lessen the impact of sanctions.
The measure is set to be discussed and potentially approved at the FIFA Council meeting scheduled in Vancouver. If adopted, it will take effect starting with the 2026 World Cup.
Piala Dunia 2026
Piala Dunia FIFA 2026 akan menjadi edisi paling revolusioner dalam sejarah sepak bola dunia. Turnamen ini untuk pertama kalinya akan diselenggarakan di tiga negara sekaligus, yaitu Amerika Serikat, Kanada, dan Meksiko. Selain itu, jumlah peserta juga meningkat dari 32 menjadi 48 tim, membuka peluang lebih besar bagi negara-negara dari berbagai konfederasi untuk tampil di panggung global. Format baru ini akan menghadirkan lebih banyak pertandingan, atmosfer kompetisi yang lebih luas, serta jangkauan penonton yang semakin besar di seluruh dunia.
Dengan skala yang jauh lebih besar, FIFA menargetkan turnamen ini sebagai ajang yang tidak hanya kompetitif tetapi juga spektakuler dari sisi teknologi dan pengalaman penonton. Stadion-stadion modern di berbagai kota tuan rumah telah dipersiapkan untuk menghadirkan pertandingan berkelas dunia, didukung oleh inovasi seperti peningkatan sistem VAR dan pengalaman digital bagi fans. diprediksi akan menjadi tonggak baru dalam evolusi sepak bola internasional, memperkuat popularitas olahraga ini sekaligus menciptakan momen-momen bersejarah yang akan dikenang dalam waktu lama.
