New time-wasting rules at World Cup 2026: Substitution, set-piece and medical time limits explained

Every major tournament brings with it a host of rule changes and ahead of World Cup 2026, a clear effort has been made to counteract time-wasting.

FIFA revealed in February that IFAB, the body that determines the laws of the game, had made “landmark changes to reduce tempo disruption”.

These new rules or tweaks to the current laws, which will be implemented at this summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, include timers for set-pieces, substitutions, and medical assessments.

So, what are the new rules introduced at World Cup 2026 to cut out time-wasting? Radio Times is here to bring you everything you need to know.

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What are the new set-piece time limits at World Cup 2026?

As part of the new rules, referees will begin a five-second visual countdown if they believe players are taking too long with or delaying a throw-in or goal kick.

According to FIFA: “If the ball is not in play at the end of the countdown, the throw-in will be awarded to the opposing team; a delayed goal kick will result in a corner kick to the opposing team.”

What are the new substitution time limits at World Cup 2026?

FIFA has also introduced a 10-second time limit for substitutions.

Substituted players must leave the field of play within 10 seconds of the substitution board being displayed or, where no board is used, upon the referee’s signal.

If they fail to do so, then the player replacing them will have to wait at least a minute before entering the pitch at the next stoppage in play.

What are the new medical assessment time limits at World Cup 2026?

Players who receive on-pitch attention from medical staff or cause play to be stopped due to an injury will have to leave the field and cannot return for at least a minute.

No changes have been made for World Cup 2026 to stop goalkeepers from feigning injuries to give the manager time to speak to their players during the game, but IFAB is set to experiment with potential solutions moving forward.

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