2026 World Cup: IFAB announces new rules ahead of tournament

The International Football Association Board, IFAB, has confirmed there will be several rule changes during the 2026 World Cup.

These include more powers for VAR, 10-second substitutions and clamping down on tactical timeouts.

The changes are expected to improve the quality of matches and also cut out time wasting.

Other new rules include:

Five-second countdowns for throw-ins and goal-kicks.

Red cards for players covering their mouths during confrontations.

Punishments for teams walking off the pitch in protest.

Mandatory one-minute off-field treatment periods.