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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Paul MacInnes

Relentless rise of VAR, new red card offences and more: those new World Cup rules in full

World Cup Fifa IFAB
A referee raises a red card
Two new red card offences and a host of VAR tweaks will add to the spectacle at the 2026 World Cup Photograph: Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images

The 2026 World Cup will be the biggest, longest and most expensive. It will also feature a hefty number of rule changes. New responsibilities for video assistant referees, new red card offences and a number of initiatives to speed up the game will be put into effect. Here are the rule changes for the US, Canada and Mexico and why they have been implemented.

VAR to check corners and second yellow cards

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