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

2026 tournament will be the biggest, longest and most expensive – and the most intricately refereed – ever seen

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.