Key Facts

• Players covering their mouths in confrontations will get a red card, unless in friendly talks with teammates.
• Players or team officials leaving the field in protest will receive red cards, and teams abandoning games will forfeit the match.
• Referees will use a 5-second visible countdown for throw-ins and goal kicks; if teams delay, possession changes.
• Substituted players must leave the field within 10 seconds at the nearest boundary point; delays affect when substitutes can enter.
• Players treated by medical staff on the field must leave play for one minute after restart, with some exceptions for serious injuries.
• The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system will be expanded to check certain red card decisions, mistaken identity, some corner kicks, and fouls before restarts.
• These changes respond to past incidents involving discrimination and game delays to promote fair play and faster matches.