FIFA is set to introduce a major change to its yellow card suspension rules ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. According to The Athletic, bookings will likely be wiped twice during the tournament to keep more star players on the pitch for decisive matches.
Proposal to be Discussed
The governing body will discuss and potentially approve the proposal at a FIFA Council meeting in Vancouver on Tuesday, as preparations continue for the first-ever 48-team World Cup. Under the proposed system, all yellow cards will be cleared at the end of the group stage and again after the quarter-finals.
Shift from Previous Tournaments
This is a massive shift from previous tournaments, where bookings were only reset after the last eight. FIFA is considering the rule change because of the expanded format, which introduces an additional knockout round (the round of 32). Consequently, players will play more matches to reach the latter stages.
FIFA wants to avoid a situation in which players miss key fixtures, such as semi-finals or finals, due to accumulated cautions accrued earlier in the competition. As it stands, players can be suspended after collecting two yellow cards across multiple rounds, a rule that has previously sidelined key individuals from major knockout clashes.
More Games, Higher Risk
With more games now on the schedule, the risk of suspensions stacking up has grown significantly. The revised approach would effectively split the tournament into phases. Players will need to pick up two bookings within either the group stage or across the three knockout rounds leading up to the semi-finals (round of 32, last 16 and quarter-finals) to trigger a ban.
FIFA believes the adjustment will create a fairer competitive balance, reducing the likelihood of high-profile absences while maintaining discipline across the tournament.
