FIFA wants to relax the rules regarding yellow cards at the 2026 World Cup

FIFA has announced an important change in the regulations for the 2026 World Cup, which will include 48 national teams and 104 matches. According to The Athletic, all accumulated yellow cards will be wiped out at the end of the group stage, as well as after the quarter-finals. This modification aims to reduce the number of players suspended due to the accumulation of cards in the knockout stages.

In previous editions, yellow cards were only wiped out at the end of the quarter-finals, to prevent the absence of players in the grand final. With the introduction of the round of 16 and the increased number of matches, the risk of players receiving two yellow cards before the quarter-finals has significantly increased. This change will allow for a fairer competition and will keep key players on the field in the decisive stages of the tournament.