It pays to have friends in high places.
How can they ignore the recipient of their peace prize
Yet here is why it should have never been a red card or any card at all the ref saw the play and did not blow the whistle. There is no VAR Rule that allows the VAR ref to do this
The 2026 World Cup introduces expanded VAR powers, stricter time-wasting rules, 10-second substitutions, red cards for mouth-covering, and mandatory hydration breaks.
Expanded VAR Powers
VAR can now intervene in several new situations to improve decision accuracy:
- Review fouls committed before a corner or free kick is taken, allowing referees to correct pre-play infractions and retake set-pieces if necessary
soccergraph.com.
- Correct wrong second yellow cards that result in a red card and cases of mistaken identity when the wrong player is booked
- Review incorrectly awarded corner kicks as long as it does not delay the restart of play
Time-Wasting and Restart Rules
To speed up matches, FIFA has introduced visible countdowns:
- Throw-ins and goal kicks: A five-second countdown is applied. If the ball is not played in time, possession is awarded to the opposing team or a corner is given
- Substitutions: Players being substituted must leave the field within 10 seconds at the nearest touchline. Failure to comply delays the incoming player by one minute, leaving the team temporarily short-handed
- Injured players: Outfield players receiving treatment must remain off the field for one minute after play resumes, with exceptions for goalkeepers, serious injuries, or penalty situations
Player Conduct and Red Cards
New disciplinary rules aim to improve transparency and fairness:
- Mouth-covering: Players who cover their mouth during confrontations with opponents receive a red card to prevent hiding abusive or discriminatory comments
- Walking off the pitch: Players or teams leaving the field in protest of a refereeās decision are shown a red card, and teams abandoning a match forfeit the game
Hydration Breaks
- Each half includes a three-minute hydration break, typically around the 22nd and 67th minutes, to help players manage heat conditions across host nations
Offside and Technology
- FIFA has upgraded semi-automated offside technology, sending instant audio alerts to officials for clear offside cases and using 3D player avatars to track limb positions accurately
tech-ish.com.
- Referees may also wear body cameras to provide live perspectives for broadcasts and enhance transparency
Extra Time and Substitutions
- In knockout rounds, tied matches go to two 15-minute extra time halves, followed by penalties if still tied
- Teams are allowed five substitutions in regulation, with an additional substitution in extra time
These changes collectively aim to improve match flow, reduce time-wasting, enhance VAR accuracy, and enforce fair play, making the 2026 World Cup faster, more transparent, and safer for players
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FIFA shoud have reviewed the Red Card ruling, and overturned it without being āpersuadedā by Trump. Glad the lad will probably play, but it leaves a bit of a sour taste.
Wrong framing. Itās sad that it took the POTUS getting involved to overturn this horrible judgment call.
Iām glad he was able to get it fixed. I donāt give one fuck if people think this was inappropriate. Take it up with FIFA.
My non biased observation, as a soccer outsider looking at comments from a lot of people that follow soccer religiously.
VAR needs to be scrapped. We complain about instant replay in the NFL, but FIFAsā VAR is atrocious. Saw an āoffsidesā called that may have touched a player hair.
It is not out of the realm that Trump had some influence on FIFA overturning the suspension, they are one of the top three most corrupt organizations in the world, but it was the right call.
I suspect Belgium wonāt Waffle on this rulling.
A clear case of irony at its steely best. The player that Trump is getting reinstated, and who he calls Americaās best player, is very close to being an āanchor babyā. A person who he would have excluded as a citizen if reworking the 14th would have happened. (The player was born in the U.S. because his mother was so close to delivering, that she was denied a flight to leave the country.)
Looks like hells breaking lose over this.
Too bad the U.S. team lost. Belgium was clearly the better team. I donāt think the U.S. was at its best. Perhaps there was a lingering thought that an upset win would have forever carried an asterisk. Trump has a way of staining everything he touches. And when he combines his awfulness with that of FIFA, nothing favorably memorable is in store.
That being said, I think Iāll be pulling for Norway the rest of the way. They seem to be a fun bunch, and pretty damn good, too.
I donāt think anybody could be more fun than the Dutch (I was thereā¦I know), but since they are out, I have to pull for England since their ābaseā is about two miles from my house.
(Eyeroll)
This I can get behind, may be time to pull out the kilts!!