Key Takeaways
- FIFA proposes clearing all yellow cards after the group stage and again after the quarter-finals
- The change protects players from suspensions in semi-finals during the longer 48-team tournament
- Two yellow cards will still trigger a ban, but within shorter windows of matches
The governing body of world football is preparing to alter the suspension rules for the 2026 World Cup. FIFA plans to add a second reset point for yellow cards to reduce the risk of players missing crucial knockout games.
Under the proposed system, referees’ bookings would be erased at the end of the group stage. They would also be cleared following the quarter-final matches. This creates two distinct phases where players must avoid collecting two yellow cards.
The 2026 tournament will feature 48 teams instead of 32. This expansion adds an extra round of fixtures. Teams that progress to the last eight will play six matches in total. Without this rule change, many players would face bans for the semi-finals after receiving just two cautions across those six games.
Officials believe that resetting the cards twice is a fairer solution than increasing the suspension threshold to three yellow cards. The one-match ban for two bookings will remain, but it will only apply within each three-game block.
The FIFA Council is expected to approve this regulation change during their meeting in Vancouver, Canada, on Tuesday.