FIFA confirms World Cup rule overhaul – substitution clocks, VAR expansion and injury time limits to reshape match tempo

FIFA and the International Football Association Board (IFAB) have confirmed a set of law changes that will reshape match management at the 2026 World Cup, which opens on June 11 in North America.The most operationally significant change targets substitutions with departing players given 10 seconds to leave the pitch once notified of a switch.Failure to comply will mean their replacement cannot enter until the next stoppage after one minute of game time has elapsed, temporarily reducing the team to ten players.Throw-ins and goal kicks will also be subject to a five-second visual countdown. If the ball is not back in play by the end of the countdown, possession transfers to the opposition; a delayed goal kick results in a corner to the opposing team.Players receiving on-field medical treatment must leave the pitch for one minute before returning, with exceptions for injuries caused by a foul resulting in a card and for goalkeepers.VAR's scope has been extended to cover second yellow card decisions and, at competition organiser discretion, incorrectly awarded corner kicks – in both cases only where there is a clear and obvious error.FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina said: "We decided to move forward along the path of trying to make the game cleaner, to keep the tempo of the match higher, to clear the game of any disruption. All these decisions are targeted to improve the quality of football worldwide."The changes were ratified at IFAB's 140th Annual General Meeting in Hensol, Wales, and follow pilot tests across several competitions including the Arab Cup and the U-20 World Cup.IFAB said the measures respond directly to calls from stakeholders across the football community for practical tools to protect effective playing time.The rules take effect globally on July 1 2026, though competitions beginning before that date may implement them earlier.