FIFA updates World Cup yellow-card rule to reduce suspensions

FIFA has changed the World Cup rules on yellow cards to ensure fewer players are suspended for key elimination games at this summer’s tournament in North America.

An extra amnesty for yellow cards — wiping player disciplinary records twice during the expanded tournament — was approved on Tuesday in a FIFA ruling council meeting.

“Reflective of the expanded format with an extra knockout round, the FIFA Council confirmed an amendment to the Regulations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 whereby single yellow cards in the final competition will be cancelled after the group stage and then again after the quarter-finals,” FIFA said in a statement.

At the World Cup, players must serve a one-game ban if they are shown a yellow card in two different games. At previous tournaments, the amnesty only applied once, after the quarterfinal stage. That ensured no player would miss the final through suspension just because of getting a yellow card in the semifinal.

The expanded 48-team World Cup format, with an extra round of 32 knockout stage, prompted a FIFA review aimed at helping keep players on the field.

FIFA’s new rule will clear players’ disciplinary records of one yellow card after the three-game group stage, so they start the knockout phase afresh.

A second amnesty after the quarterfinals will apply for players who got one yellow during the three previous knockout rounds and whose teams advanced to the semifinals.

The World Cup will be played from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Information from ESPN’s Lizzy Becherano and The Associated Press was used in this report.