FIFA Updates World Cup Rules: Yellow Card Amnesty and Increased Funding Confirmed

FIFA has officially amended the disciplinary regulations for the 2026 World Cup to ensure star players are less likely to miss crucial knockout matches. The governing body also announced a significant 15% boost in financial distributions for all 48 participating nations.

Yellow Card Rules Tweaked for Expanded Format

With the 2026 tournament in North America featuring an extra knockout round (Round of 32), the FIFA Council has introduced a double amnesty for bookings.

Under the new rules, single yellow cards will be wiped clean at two specific points:

After the Group Stage: Players entering the knockout phase will start with a fresh record.

After the Quarterfinals: This ensures that no player misses the World Cup Final due to a single booking in the semifinal.

Previously, cautions were only cleared after the quarterfinals. The change aims to keep the best players on the pitch as the tournament grows to a 104-match schedule.

Massive Financial Boost for Teams

Citing the commercial success of the expanded format, FIFA will increase the total resource pot for participating teams to $871 million—nearly $18 million per team on average.

Preparation Money: Increased from $1.5 million to $2.5 million per team.

Qualification Prize: Increased from $9 million to $10 million.

Total Pot: A 15% increase compared to previous projections.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that the organization is in its "most solid financial position ever," allowing for unprecedented reinvestment into member associations.

Addressing National Concerns

The financial hike comes after several associations, particularly from UEFA, expressed concerns regarding the high operational costs of a tournament spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The increased subsidies are designed to help teams cover the expenses of long-haul travel, varying tax regimes, and large delegation logistics.

The 2026 World Cup, the first to feature 48 teams, will run from June 11 to July 19.