New World Cup rules: VAR for yellow cards and throw-in countdowns explained

FIFA and IFAB have introduced a slew of new rules ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with teams now expected to adapt to new laws surrounding timewasting and substitutions at the same time that VAR is given expanded new powers.

The latest changes were announced over the weekend following a meeting of IFAB, who are responsible for maintaining and updating the rules of the game, and came into immediate effect – with Iceland instantly becoming a victim of one new rule on Sunday during a friendly match against Japan.

Below, we’ve summarised the new rules ahead which will apply for the 2026 World Cup, which range from allowing VAR to rule on corner kicks to strict time limits for goal kicks and throw-ins.

The new rules which allow VAR to intervene on corners and second yellow cards

As part of the new adjustments, VAR is now being given the power to check whether corners have been correctly awarded – but not goal kicks.

If a corner is given, VAR may use replays to judge whether the decision was correct or not and can intervene provided it can do so in a timely manner. If a decision takes long enough to make that it would hold up the taking of the corner, VAR will not be allowed to step in. Decisions resulting in goal kicks will still not be checked for accuracy.

VAR can now also check whether a yellow card has been correctly awarded in cases where a player is sent off after receiving two bookings. Yellow cards which aren’t upgraded to a red will not be checked, and only card shown which result in a sending-off will be reviewed – there will be no reviews for potential yellow cards, even if they would lead to a red.

These changes are intended to correct potentially significant errors which result in one team gaining an advantage without bringing VAR in too frequently and thus holding up play. The World Cup VAR rules will otherwise be the same as those familiar in the Premier League and Champions League.

Countdowns for thrown-ins, goal kicks and injuries

In order to limit timewasting and the amount of time that the ball is out of play during a match, it has also been announced new time limits for certain situations and set pieces.

Teams will now have five seconds to take goal kicks and throw-ins, with the countdown to be visibly displayed within the stadium. If a team fails to take the set piece within the time limit and is adjudged to have done so deliberately, then throw-ins will instead be awarded to the opposition while goal kicks will turn into corners to be taken by the other team.

Players will not be punished if they are unable to take the throw-in or goal kick within the time limit, for instance if the ball is in the crowd and not returned. Time limits will also now apply to substitutions, too – players who are withdrawn must leave the field by the nearest edge within 10 seconds, or their replacement will be barred from entering the field of play for one minute.

Failure to comply with this new rule immediately cost Iceland during their friendly match against Japan in Tokyo on Sunday. When a player being substituted failed to leave the pitch within the time limit, replacement Isak Thorvaldsson was barred from coming on – and Japan scored the game’s only goal during the one minute that Iceland were down to 10 men.

Finally, players who are treated off the field by physiotherapists must remain off the pitch for at least one minute, a move made to discourage simulation. There are exceptions for goalkeepers, head injuries, collisions and situations in which the injured players was due to take a penalty.

Injury ‘time-outs’ banned – but no law changes to enforce it

A further change announced is that teams will no longer be permitted to gather around the technical area in order to receive instructions or encouragement from their coaches during breaks in play following an injury to a goalkeeper.

The ban on such ‘tactical time-outs’ is not enforced by a new rule, however. FIFA’s chief referee Pierluigi Collina told the media that meetings between IFAB and the head coaches of the 48 teams participating in the World Cup had failed to result in an agreement over appropriate sanctions – meaning that while referees will be encouraged to disperse any such ‘time-outs,’ they cannot punish them directly.

Previously announced rules which ban players from covering their mouths during confrontations – introduced after Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni was accused of racially abusing Real Madrid’s Vinícius Junior during a Champions League match – will also be used during the tournament.