The 2026 FIFA World Cup introduces ground-breaking AI-powered officiating tools—including real-time tracking, 3D player avatars, and a smart match ball—alongside new International Football Association Board (IFAB) rules like red cards for covering mouths and stricter handling of time-wasting. A new set of laws will come into play during the World Cup, the international self-regulatory body for football has announced, weeks before the tournament starts on June 11.The International Football Association Board (IFAB) revealed on Sunday a number of changes to the laws of the game that will be applied from the 2026-2027 season onwards as well as at the World Cup. “The IFAB approved a set of landmark changes to the Laws of the Game, and the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the first major tournament to use them,” FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina told reporters. “These amendments aim to tackle discrimination, cut time-wasting, enhance match tempo and improve both the player and fan experience.”
Here’s a look at the rule changes:
Player covering their mouths during games: Players who cover their mouths with their hands, arms or shirts in confrontational situations will receive a red card. However, players who cover their mouths while having friendly conversations with club teammates on opposing national teams, for example, will not be punished. The new rule comes into effect after Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni was accused of making discriminatory slurs against Vinicius Jr with his mouth covered. Prestianni was given a six-game suspension by UEFA, and his ban was extended worldwide. The rule change was enforced after Prestianni’s racial outburst against Vinicius Jr, during which the Argentinian player covered his mouth with his shirt [File: Patricia De Melo Moreira/AFP]
Leaving field of play in protest:
Players who leave the field of play to protest against a referee’s decision will be shown a red card. The rule will also apply to any team official who incites players to leave the field of play in protest. Teams that cause a match to be abandoned will now forfeit the match. The rule change was made after Senegal stormed off the field in protest at a penalty awarded against them in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco. Get instant alerts and updates based on your interests. Be the first to know when big stories happen.
Throw-in and goal-kick countdowns: Referees will start a visual five-second countdown with a raised hand. For throw-ins, if the ball is not in play at the end of the countdown, a throw-in will be awarded to the opponents. If a goal kick is not taken at the end of the countdown, a corner kick will be awarded to the opponents. Teams whose goalkeepers waste time in a goal kick will concede a corner
Substitution protocol: Players have 10 seconds to leave the field when the substitution board has been shown. They must leave the field at the nearest point on the boundary line. If the player being substituted does not leave the field of play within 10 seconds, the substitute may enter only at the first stoppage after one minute has elapsed after the restart and the referee gives them the signal. Exceptions will be made for player injuries and concerns related to safety and security.
Off-field treatment: An outfield player must leave the field of play for one minute after the restart if medical staff has entered the pitch to treat them. Exceptions are goalkeeper injuries, collisions between a goalkeeper and outfield player, collisions between teammates that need attention, severe injuries (such as concussions and other head injuries) or when the injured player is set to take a penalty.
VAR protocol: The protocol for the video assistant referee, or VAR, will be broadened. AR was first used in FIFA competitions in 2017, and the Russia 2018 edition was the first World Cup to use the technology. Now, however, it will also be used to check when red cards are issued after a clearly incorrect second yellow card or when cards are issued in the case of mistaken identity. Incorrectly awarded corner kicks can also be subject to VAR intervention if the decision can be corrected immediately without delaying the restart. AR can also intervene when a foul is committed before play restarts. For example, when an attacker fouls a defender before the ball is in play from a set piece. “AR will recommend an on-field review, following which, if the referee determines that an offence occurred before the ball was in play, the appropriate disciplinary action will be taken and the corner kick or free kick will be retaken,” IFAB said. AR technology will be more broadly used in the 2026 World Cup.
Hydration breaks: There will be a three-minute hydration break in each half in every match. The break will be taken around the halfway mark of each half (22nd minute).Referees have been given a bit of flexibility with the timing of the break. For example, if a player is injured and requires treatment in the 20th minute, the referee can signal the hydration break.
Goalkeeper injuries: If a goalkeeper is receiving treatment on the pitch, players from both teams will not be allowed to leave the field of play and have a “timeout” with their respective coaches.
Technology will again play a central role. High-definition broadcast cameras, VAR feeds, and multiple viewing angles will provide officials with the evidence needed to identify incidents that may previously have gone unnoticed.
Modern Technology Applications
Advanced Offside Technology: The tournament upgrades the semi-automated offside (SAOT) system. Instead of waiting for a move to finish, the system sends instant, real-time audio alerts to the referee’s assistant if an attacker is \(10\,\text{cm}\) or more offside.
3D Player Avatars: FIFA has generated life-like 3D digital avatars of all 1,248 players by capturing precise body dimensions during pre-tournament shoots. These powers vastly improved transparent 3D offside animations on stadium screens and broadcasts.
Smart Match Balls: The official match ball contains integrated motion sensors that track every single touch, strike, and position data point, integrating seamlessly with VAR.
Enhanced VAR Transparency: The AI automatically tracks dozens of data points on every player, allowing officials to validate decisions rapidly without manually analysing multiple camera angles
Taken together, the new rules reveal a tournament that will be more closely monitored than any before it. Cameras, video reviews, and real-time countdowns will now become as much a part of the spectacle as goals and celebrations.