Never-before-seen rules confirmed for World Cup that change football as we know it
It's officially one week until the World Cup officially kicks off, with millions of people across the planet ready to settle down for a summer of football.
While here in the UK we're all desperately hoping that the men's team can have its first success since 1966, Thomas Tuchel's final squad certainly got lots of people talking.
Much of the focus on the tournament has been about what's happening off the pitch rather than on it, whether it's the fans of Haiti and Iran not being allowed to travel, or the fans complaining about the extortionate cost of a beer over in the US.
But with excitement building ahead of the actual games, there are some things that even the most staunch football fans might be surprised to hear when it comes to some strange rule changes that are going to be in place.
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Although we've not quite accepted Arsène Wenger's proposed change of 60 minute games where the whistle stops every time the ball goes out of play, it does seem as if the majority of changes are being introduced to prevent time wasting.
Throw-in countdown
Football fans will be familiar with players stealing yards on throw-ins or even winding up a long throw by wiping the ball on the towel but for this summer's World Cup, they will have just five seconds to throw the ball in before possession is given to the other team.
Rory Delap will no doubt be delighted that this is coming in well after his retirement.
Goal-kick countdown
We've already seen a new rule in the leagues this season regarding how long the goalkeeper can hold on to the ball in his hands, but that only led to longer delays from a dead ball.
But no more, as in the World Cup they will once again have just five seconds to get things going, which frankly seems a little harsh, especially as the referee can award a corner if the attempt to delay the restart is deemed to be deliberate.
Time-limited substitutions
You might have seen the viral clip from the Japan vs Iceland game recently where this rule was shown off for the first time, as the Iceland player took too long to come off the pitch when he was substituted.
This meant that his replacement had to wait at least a minute and then also wait until the next stoppage in play before he could have the opportunity to come on. Unfortunately in Iceland's case, this led to them conceding late on in the only goal of the game.
Players will have just 10 seconds to leave the field of play, so hopefully they're not carrying a knock and are expected to sprint off.
Off-field treatment
Another rule that we've seen similar of before, in that players who are treated for injuries must now wait at least a minute before returning to the game.
This is obviously done to deter any fake injuries, but also seems rather harsh on occasions where the player is genuinely hurt. Goalkeepers will seemingly still be able to get away with it by staying on the pitch however.
Players covering their mouths
After controversy regarding Real Madrid and Brazil star Vinicius Junior in the Champions League, FIFA bosses have made it clear that any player who covers their mouth in a confrontational situation could be shown a red card. If only that had been around before the infamous Zidane headbutt.
Corners can be checked
This is perhaps one change that fans can get behind, as VAR will now be able to check if a corner has been awarded correctly. As long as it's done quickly, this is certainly a good decision, even if we don't have Harry Maguire there to be our usual threat from set pieces.
Second yellows can be reviewed
If a player receives a second yellow card incorrectly, this can also be reviewed by VAR, which has previously only been able to advise when it comes to potential red card offences.
Hopefully, VAR won't be dominating too many conversations when it comes to this summer's tournament, although it seems a certainty that several players are going to fall foul of these new rules.
2026 World Cup fixture schedule and UK kick off times
Thursday, 11 June
Group A: Mexico vs South Africa, kick-off 8pm - Mexico City, Mexico
Friday, 12 June
Group A: South Korea vs Czech Republic, kick-off 3am - Zapopan, Mexico
Group B: Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, kick-off 8pm - Toronto, Canada
Saturday, June 13
Group D: USA vs Paraguay, kick-off 2am - Los Angeles, US
Group B: Qatar vs Switzerland, kick-off 8pm - Santa Clara, US
Group C: Brazil vs Morocco, kick-off 11pm - New Jersey, US
Sunday, June 14
Group C: Haiti vs Scotland, kick-off 2am - Foxborough, US
Group D: Australia vs Turkey, kick-off 5am - Vancouver, Canada
Group E: Germany vs Curacao, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Group F: Netherlands vs Japan, kick-off 9pm - Arlington, US
Monday, 15 June
Group E: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador, kick-off 12am - Philadelphia, US
Group F: Sweden vs Tunisia, kick-off 3am - Guadalupe, Mexico
Group H: Spain vs Cape Verde, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, US
Group G: Belgium vs Egypt, kick-off 8pm - Seattle, US
Group H: Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay, kick-off 11pm - Miami, US
Tuesday, 16 June
Group G: Iran vs New Zealand, kick-off 2am - Los Angeles, US
Group I: France vs Senegal, kick-off 8pm - New Jersey, US
Group I: Iraq vs Norway, kick-off 11pm - Foxborough, US
Wednesday, 17 June
Group J: Argentina vs Algeria, kick-off 2am - Kansas City, US
Group J: Austria vs Jordan, kick-off 5am - Santa Clara, US
Group K: Portugal vs DR Congo, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Group L: England vs Croatia, kick-off 9pm - Arlington, US
Thursday, 18 June
Group L: Ghana vs Panama, kick-off 12am - Toronto, Canada
Group K: Uzbekistan vs Colombia, kick-off 3am - Mexico City, Mexico
Group A: Czech Republic vs South Africa, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, US
Group B: Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, US
Group B: Canada vs Qatar, kick-off 11pm - Vancouver, Canada
Friday, 19 June
Group A: Mexico vs South Korea, kick-off 2am - Zapopan, Mexico
Group D: USA vs Australia, kick-off 8pm - Seattle, US
Group C: Scotland vs Morocco, kick-off 11pm - Foxborough, US
Saturday, 20 June
Group C: Brazil vs Haiti, kick-off 1.30am - Philadelphia, US
Group D: Turkey vs Paraguay, kick-off 4am - Santa Clara, US
Group A: Netherlands vs Sweden, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Group E: Germany vs Ivory Coast, kick-off 9pm - Toronto, Canada
Sunday, 21 June
Group E: Ecuador vs Curacao, kick-off 1am - Kansas City, US
Group F: Tunisia vs Japan, kick-off 5am - Guadalupe, Mexico
Group H: Spain vs Saudi Arabia, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, US
Group G: Belgium vs Iran, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, US
Group H: Uruguay vs Cape Verde, kick-off 11pm - Miami, US
Monday, 22 June
Group G: New Zealand vs Egypt, kick-off 2am - Vancouver, Canada
Group J: Argentina vs Austria, kick-off 6pm - Arlington, US
Group I: France vs Iraq, kick-off 10pm - Philadelphia, US
Tuesday, 23 June
Group I: Norway vs Senegal, kick-off 1am - Toronto, Canada
Group J: Jordan vs Algeria, kick-off 4am - Santa Clara, US
Group K: Portugal vs Uzbekistan, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Group L: England vs Ghana, kick-off 9pm - Foxborough, US
Wednesday, 24 June
Group L: Panama vs Croatia, kick-off 12am - Foxborough, US
Group K: Colombia vs DR Congo, kick-off 3am - Zapopan, Mexico
Group B: Switzerland vs Canada, kick-off 8pm - Vancouver, Canada
Group B: Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar, kick-off 8pm - Seattle, US
Group C: Morocco vs Haiti, kick-off 11pm - Atlanta, US
Group C: Scotland vs Brazil, kick-off 11pm - Miami, US
Thursday, 25 June
Group A: South Africa vs South Korea, kick-off 2am - Guadalupe, Mexico
Group A: Czech Republic vs Mexico, kick-off 2am - Mexico City, Mexico
Group E: Curacao vs Ivory Coast, kick-off 9pm - Philadelphia, US
Group E: Ecuador vs Germany, kick-off 9pm - New Jersey, US
Friday, 26 June
Group F: Tunisia vs Netherlands, kick-off 12am - Kansas City, US
Group F: Japan vs Sweden, kick-off 12am - Arlington, US
Group D: Turkey vs USA, kick-off 3am - Los Angeles, US
Group D: Paraguay vs Australia, kick-off 3am - Santa Clara, US
Group I: Norway vs France, kick-off 8pm - Foxborough, US
Group I: Senegal vs Iraq, kick-off 8pm - Toronto, Canada
Saturday, 27 June
Group H: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia, kick-off 1am - Houston, US
Group H: Uruguay vs Spain, kick-off 1am - Zapopan, Mexico
Group G: New Zealand vs Belgium, kick-off 4am - Vancouver, Canada
Group G: Egypt vs Iran, kick-off 4am - Seattle, US
Group L: Panama vs England, kick-off 10pm - New Jersey, US
Group L: Croatia vs Ghana, kick-off 10pm - Philadelphia, US
Sunday, 28 June
Group K: Colombia vs Portugal, kick-off 12.30am - Miami, US
Group K: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan, kick-off 12.30am - Atlanta, US
Group J: Algeria vs Austria, kick-off 3am - Kansas City, US
Group J: Jordan vs Argentina, kick-off 3am - Arlington, US
Round of 32 - Match 73: Group A runners-up vs Group B runners-up, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, US
Monday, 29 June
Round of 32 - Match 76: Group C winners vs Group F runners-up, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Round of 32 - Match 74: Group E winners vs Group A/B/C/D/F third place, kick-off 9.30pm - Foxborough, US
Tuesday, 30 June
Round of 32 - Match 75: Group F winners vs Group C runners-up, kick-off 2am - Guadalupe, Mexico
Round of 32 - Match 78: Group E runners-up vs Group I runners-up, kick-off 6pm - Arlington, US
Round of 32 - Match 77: Group I winners vs Group C/D/F/G/H third place, kick-off 10pm - New Jersey, US
Wednesday, 1 July
Round of 32 - Match 79: Group A winners vs Group C/E/F/H/I third place, kick-off 2am - Mexico City, Mexico
Round of 32 - Match 80: Group L winners vs Group E/H/I/J/K third place, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, US
Round of 32 - Match 82: Group G winners vs Group A/E/H/I/J third place, kick-off 9pm - Seattle, US
Thursday, 2 July
Round of 32 - Match 81: Group D winners vs Group B/E/F/I/J third place, kick-off 1am - Santa Clara, US
Round of 32 - Match 84: Group H winners vs Group J runners-up, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, US
Friday, 3 July
Round of 32 - Match 83: Group K runners-up vs Group L runners-up, kick-off 12am - Toronto, Canada
Round of 32 - Match 85: Group B winners vs Group E/F/G/I/J third place, kick-off 4am - Vancouver, Canada
Round of 32 - Match 88: Group D runners-up vs Group G runners-up, kick-off 7pm - Arlington, US
Round of 32 - Match 86: Group J winners vs Group H runners-up, kick-off 11pm - Miami, US
Saturday, 4 July
Round of 32 - Match 87: Group K winners vs Group D/E/I/J/L third place, kick-off 2.30am - Kansas City, US
Round of 16 - Match 90: Match 73 winners vs Match 75 winners, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Round of 16 - Match 89: Match 74 winners vs Match 77 winners, kick-off 10pm - Philadelphia, US
Sunday, 5 July
Round of 16 - Match 91: Match 76 winners vs Match 78 winners, kick-off 9pm - New Jersey, US
Monday, 6 July
Round of 16 - Match 92: Match 79 winners vs Match 80 winners, kick-off 1am - Mexico City, Mexico
Round of 16 - Match 93: Match 83 winners vs Match 84 winners, kick-off 8pm - Arlington, US
Tuesday, 7 July
Round of 16 - Match 94: Match 81 winners vs Match 82 winners, kick-off 1am - Seattle, US
Round of 16 - Match 95: Match 86 winners vs Match 88 winners, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, US
Round of 16 - Match 96: Match 85 winners vs Match 87 winners, kick-off 9pm - Vancouver, Canada
Thursday, 9 July
Quarter-final - Match 97: Match 89 winners vs Match 90 winners, kick-off 9pm - Foxborough, US
Friday, 10 July
Quarter-final - Match 98: Match 93 winners vs Match 94 winners, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, US
Saturday, 11 July
Quarter-final - Match 99: Match 91 winners vs Match 92 winners, kick-off 10pm - Miami, US
Sunday, 12 July
Quarter-final - Match 100: Match 95 winners vs Match 96 winners, kick-off 2am - Kansas City, US
Tuesday, 14 July
Semi-final - Match 101: Match 97 winners vs Match 98 winners, kick-off 8pm - Arlington, US
Wednesday, 15 July
Semi-final - Match 102: Match 99 winners vs Match 100 winners, kick-off 8pm - Atlanta, US
Saturday, 18 July
Third Place Playoff - Match 103: Match 101 losers vs Match 102 losers, kick-off 10pm - Miami, US
Sunday, 19 July
Final - Match 104: Match 101 winners vs Match 102 winners, kick-off 8pm - New Jersey, US
James Moorhouse