The 2026 World Cup promises to be unprecedented not just for its size, but for the sheer number of law changes that will govern it. Fifa has introduced 11 measures specifically for the tournament, with Pierluigi Collina, the head of referees, determined to speed up matches and reduce the potential for match-changing mistakes.
Timewasting has been one of Collina's top issues for years. At the Qatar World Cup in 2022, the Italian told his officials to add everything on to stoppage time. The opening matches all exceeded 100 minutes, with 24 minutes added on across both halves for England's 6-2 win over Iran. This time, the plan is different: not strict enforcement, but deterrent measures designed to alter player behaviour.
“Fifa introduces 11 law changes for 2026 World Cup, including time-saving measures and new VAR powers, to speed up matches.”
If a player deliberately delays a goal-kick or throw-in, a referee can now start a five-second countdown. Should the player fail to restart quickly enough, the goal-kick becomes a corner or the throw is given to the opposition. The count is not automatic; the referee chooses to activate it if a player is taking too long. Similarly, goalkeepers who hold the ball too long face an eight-second countdown, with the referee visibly counting by moving an arm up and down. Previously, the only tool was a yellow card, and keepers knew officials were unlikely to book them twice. Conceding a corner that could lead to a goal is seen as a far more effective deterrent.
Substitutions are also being tightened. Substituted players have 10 seconds to leave the field at the nearest point. If they fail to do so, the substitute cannot enter for at least one minute, and the team must play with 10 players. Exemptions exist for injury or security concerns, though the latter should not be an issue at the World Cup. The new law means a team could in theory be left with 10 players until the next stoppage.
Beyond timewasting, there are new powers for the video assistant referee, a host of measures to protect the tempo of the game, and adjustments around player behaviour. And these changes will not be confined to the World Cup: most of them will be applied in the Premier League, English Football League and Scottish Premiership next season. Get used to them—because they are coming to a ground near you.