2026 World Cup: The 11 new refereeing rules that will shake up World Cup matches

The 2026 World Cup, held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, expands from 32 to 48 teams with 104 matches. IFAB announced 11 new refereeing rules, including time limits for throw-ins (5 seconds) and goal kicks (5 seconds). Cooling breaks of 3 minutes per half are introduced, and substituted players must leave the field within 10 seconds. Yellow cards are reset after the group stage and after the quarter-finals; players covering their mouths during verbal altercations will be sent off.