8 new laws FIFA are set to debut at the World Cup

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has announced a series of historic changes to the Laws of the Game that will be implemented starting from the 2026-27 season.

Crucially, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on June 11 across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will serve as the very first major tournament to debut these rules.

According to FIFA's Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina, these landmark amendments are strategically designed to tackle discrimination, eliminate time-wasting, heighten match tempo, and significantly improve the overall experience for both players and fans.

The eight new laws debuting at the tournament are structured as follows:

In an effort to curb hidden unsporting behaviour, any player who covers their mouth with their hand, arm, or jersey during confrontational situations will receive a straight red card.

This strict measure is a direct response to an incident where Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni was hit with a worldwide six-game suspension after being accused of directing discriminatory slurs at Vinícius Júnior while concealing his mouth.

Notably, referees will not penalise players who cover their mouths during casual or friendly conversations, such as chatting with club teammates on an opposing side.

To protect the authority of match officials, players who deliberately walk off the pitch to protest a refereeing decision will be shown a red card.

This severe disciplinary rule also applies to any team official or manager who incites their squad to leave the field in protest, and any team that causes a match to be abandoned under these circumstances will automatically suffer a forfeit.

The mandate follows a high-friction incident where Senegal stormed off the pitch in protest of a penalty decision during the Africa Cup of Nations final before eventually returning to defeat hosts Morocco.

Referees will now introduce a visual five-second countdown by raising their hand during restarts to maximise in-game action.

If a player fails to take a throw-in before the countdown concludes, possession is overturned, and a throw-in is awarded to the opposing team.

More severely, if a goalkeeper fails to take a goal-kick within the designated five-second window, the opposition will be awarded a corner kick.

Substituted players will have a maximum of 10 seconds to exit the pitch from the moment the substitution board is displayed, and they must leave at the nearest point on the boundary line.

If a player fails to comply within the 10-second limit, their replacement will be heavily penalised; the incoming substitute will only be permitted to enter the pitch at the first stoppage after one full minute of play has elapsed following the restart, pending a signal from the referee.

Clear exceptions to this rule will be granted for player injuries or pressing safety and security concerns.

To discourage players from feigning injuries to disrupt momentum, any outfield player who receives on-pitch medical attention must remain off the field for exactly one minute after play restarts.

This rule will feature highly specific exceptions to ensure player welfare, meaning the one-minute mandatory wait will not always apply.

The rule will not apply to goalkeeper injuries, severe head traumas and concussions, collisions between teammates or opposing goalkeepers, or instances where the injured player is the designated penalty taker.

Stating that it was time to update a protocol written when operational experience was limited, Collina confirmed that VAR will now have the power to intervene in four new specific scenarios.

The video assistant can now step in to recommend an on-field review if a red card is mistakenly issued from an incorrect yellow card or in cases of mistaken identity.

Additionally, VAR can correct clearly misplaced corner kick decisions if it can be done instantly without delaying the restart, and it can intervene if an attacker commits a foul on a defender right before the ball is put into play from a set-piece.

To combat fatigue and extreme climate conditions across the North American host cities, a mandatory three-minute hydration break will be implemented in each half of every single match.

These structured breaks are scheduled to take place around the 22nd minute of each half.

Referees will be granted slight tactical flexibility with the timing; for example, if an injury occurs in the 20th minute, the official can proactively signal for the hydration break to minimise overall match stoppages.

While a goalkeeper is receiving medical treatment directly on the pitch, outfield players from both teams will be strictly prohibited from leaving the field of play.

This final rule is designed to prevent teams from using a goalkeeper's injury stoppage as an impromptu "timeout" to gather on the touchline and hold tactical discussions with their respective coaching staff.