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Less risk of a yellow card: Here, Argentina's Lionel Messi (l) is cautioned by referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz at the 2022 World Cup. (archive picture)
Picture: Ricardo Mazalan/AP/dpa
Previously, yellow cards at a World Cup were only canceled after the quarter-finals. The higher number of matches means that there is now a risk of more suspensions - FIFA wants to prevent this with a new rule.
Football's world governing body FIFA is relaxing the rules for yellow card suspensions at the World Cup in a month and a half. Cautions will not only be canceled after the quarter-finals, as has been the case up to now, but for the first time after the three group matches. This regulation is to be confirmed at today's meeting of the FIFA Council, as the German Press Agency has learned. It was first reported by the British BBC.
Normally, players are suspended for one match after receiving a second yellow card during the tournament. The expansion of the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19 from 32 to 48 teams means that a further knockout round with 32 teams will be added. This increases the risk of players having to sit out due to yellow cards and missing the semi-finals, for example. According to dpa, the new rules are intended to counteract this.
In the past, yellow cards had already been canceled after the quarter-finals. This was to prevent a repeat of the Michael Ballack case. The former German national team captain was sent off in the final against Brazil at the 2002 World Cup after being cautioned in the semi-final against South Korea.
Most recently, Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany had asked the European Football Union (UEFA) to soften the rule on yellow cards in the Champions League. There, cautions are also canceled after the quarter-finals.
28.04.2026, 10:12
28.04.2026, 10:21
