Explaining the World Cup’s newest rules
By Ben Church, CNN
(CNN) — Note: This is story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here.
You’re still thinking about the USA potentially winning the World Cup, aren’t you? Well, that’s going to have to wait a while longer because we’ve got plenty of games to think about until the USA’s next group match.
Spain is back in action today which means we might get a proper look at Lamine Yamal. The teenager will be desperate to start the match as his nation looks to recover from that shocking draw in its first game. Plus, because its Father’s Day, we have a special shoutout to a new dad over in the Norway squad.
But first, it’s time to whip out the rulebook and get studying the new rules in play at this year’s World Cup.
The Main Thing: Why a player was sent off for covering his mouth
We understand that some people reading this newsletter are dipping their toes into the sport for the first time and might still be learning some of the game’s more confusing nuances. But fear not: even we soccer natives are trying to catch up with a host of new rules introduced for this summer’s tournament.
For example, a lot of fans were a bit confused on Friday after watching Miguel Almiron be sent off in the first half of Paraguay’s win against Turkey.
At first glance, it was hard to see what the Paraguayan midfielder had done. He hadn’t fouled anyone, nor had he been involved in any physical confrontation with an opponent. And yet, just before halftime, referee Ivan Barton showed him a red card.
It wasn’t until we saw the replays that we realized that Almiron had actually made history, albeit unwanted, by becoming the first player to receive a red card for covering his mouth.
On the face of it, this new law might seem a bit strange, but it actually serves a distinct purpose. FIFA decided that, starting at this World Cup, a player could be sent off for “covering their mouth in a confrontational situation with an opponent.”
Almiron did just that, exchanging what appeared to be slightly heated words with Turkey’s Mert Mulder while putting his hand over his mouth.
But the question you’re probably asking is why such a seemingly innocent action warrants such a serious punishment. Well, it all stems back to a Champions League game in February.
In that controversial match, Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior had alleged that Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni had racially insulted him. Replays showed Prestianni saying something to Madrid forward but, because he had covered his mouth, it was impossible to know what exactly he said.
It prompted FIFA to push through this new rule which hopes to prevent players from hiding their insults. It hopefully means that the appropriate punishment could be handed out depending on what a player says.
It’s important to note that there was no suggestion that Almiron had used racial language on Friday, but the winger fell afoul of the new law. You’d think that would be enough of a lesson to prevent others from doing the same.
That is just one of several new rules introduced for this World Cup. In truth, there are too many to list here, but these are some examples.
Players can now be sent off if they leave the pitch in protest of a refereeing decision (shoutout to the insane Africa Cup of Nations final for that one).
There are now five-second countdowns for goal kicks and throw-ins to stop time-wasting. If a player runs out of time on a throw-in, possession flips to the opponent. If they run out of time on a goal kick, the opposition is awarded a corner.
The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) also has plenty of new powers, including the ability to overturn an incorrectly awarded corner kick.
Don’t fear, if something confusing happens again, we’ll explain it all here.
Spain vs. Saudi Arabia
When: 12 p.m ET
Where: Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
From CNN’s Emile Nuh:
Spain will look to get its World Cup campaign back on track after being held to a shock 0-0 draw by Cape Verde in the island nation’s World Cup debut.
La Roja held a staggering 74% possession and 27 shots on goal, but was repeatedly frustrated by a defiant Cape Verde defense and veteran goalkeeper Vozinha.
But Luis de la Fuente and his side won’t be panicking. In Qatar 2022, Argentina was also stunned in its opener and lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia before going on to become champion.
Saudi Arabia will look to launch another surprise today and would currently be sitting top of Group H if it weren’t for Maxi Araújo’s late equalizer for Uruguay on Monday. The Spaniards will also be coming up against another stubborn stopper in Mohammed Al-Owais, who made nine saves in the Saudis’ first match.
The good news for Spain is that Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams have had some extra days to regain fitness, so expect more firepower upfront for the reigning European champion.
You can read more about Spain’s struggles so far in this World Cup here.
Belgium vs. Iran
When? 3 p.m. ET
Where? Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium), Los Angeles, California, USA
From CNN’s Emile Nuh:
Both teams come into this game searching for their first win of the tournament. Belgium came from behind to draw 1-1 against Egypt, while Iran did so twice to share the spoils with New Zealand.
Second-half substitute Romelu Lukaku played a decisive role in Belgium’s opener, helping his team score just 22 seconds after stepping onto the pitch. It will be interesting to see whether the nation’s all-time leading goalscorer is called upon from the start in Los Angeles.
Iran returns to the site of its opening match where it faced a challenging atmosphere, with parts of the crowd even jeering during the Iranian national anthem. The team was also forced to make an unexpected late-night return to Mexico, despite head coach Amir Ghalenoei saying the squad had planned to stay in California overnight before flying back the following day.
It remains to be seen whether Team Melli will have to deal with similar issues on Sunday – and whether it can get its first win of this World Cup.
Quote of the day
“When I saw him for the first time, I broke down. It’s crazy. I’m so happy and proud. The greatest thing I ever experienced.”
Sure, playing in the World Cup is great, but it’s not a patch on watching the birth of your first child (even if it is over video call).
These are the words of Norway defender Leo Østigård who recently became a dad for the first time this week. The 26-year-old said he followed the birth of his son via FaceTime while preparing for his nation’s next game in North America and provided remote support to his partner, Aurora Eidmann.
“She did an amazing job. I was not able to say that much. The only thing I could do was to support her,” he said in a video published by the Norwegian FA.
Happy Father’s Day, to all the dads out there – especially Østigård!
WATCH: Like fathers, like sons for Norway
CNN World Sport’s Don Riddell speaks with Norway’s 1994 World Cup veteran Erik Thorstvedt, whose son Kristian is playing at this year’s showpiece event. Kristian is one of three Norway World Cup players, along with Erling Haaland, who’s fathers featured at USA 1994.
Read more here about the Norwegian fathers who played in the 1994 World Cup in the US and are now watching their sons play in 2026.
World Cup in numbers: 15
That is the remarkable number of saves made by Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room in his team’s historic 0-0 draw with Ecuador yesterday.
It marks the most saves made by a goalkeeper in a 90-minute World Cup match since records began. It also inspired Curaçao to its first-ever World Cup point on an emotional day for the tiny Caribbean island.
Uruguay vs. Cape Verde
When: 6 p.m. ET
Where: Miami Stadium (Hard Rock Stadium), Miami Gardens, Florida, USA
From CNN’s Emile Nuh:
Uruguay entered its opener against Saudi Arabia as favorite but put on a lackluster first-half display. The performance prompted manager Marcelo Bielsa to make halftime changes, which included pulling former Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez early.
La Celeste looked much sharper after the break as Real Madrid star Federico Valverde came alive. However, it wasn’t until the 80th minute that they found the breakthrough.
With a showdown against Spain looming in their final group match, securing three points against Cape Verde will be vital for the South Americans.
Cape Verde, meanwhile, is riding high on confidence after their historic 0-0 draw with Spain. But the Tubarões Azuis have an even bigger opportunity ahead of them.
Three points against Uruguay would all but guarantee Cape Verde’s place in the Round of 32. Veteran stopper Vozinha will likely need another heroic performance but with his mother on her way to the States to watch this game, lightning could well strike twice for the 40-year-old goalkeeper.
George Weah speaks to CNN Sports
Speaking of Father’s Day, there’s a famous dad in the stands with a keen eye on the tournament as CNN Sports’ Ainsley Flood explains.
As a former Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year winner, African soccer icon George Weah knows exactly what it takes to be a world-class striker.
After Tuesday’s star-studded World Cup performances, Weah shared with CNN Sports his impressions of the three men who lit up the global stage: Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland.
The 59-year-old Weah – the father of USA winger Timothy Weah – was in Atlanta this past week where FIFA hosted a panel of leaders in the sport, including Weah, at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta ahead of the International Day for Countering Hate Speech on Thursday.
Weah acknowledged Mbappe’s speed and performance after his brace helped France to a 2-1 win.
“I just hope that in this World Cup, he continues to work hard to score more goals for France to win,” Weah said.
Manchester City’s main man Haaland also earned himself a pair of goals, as Norway put four past Iraq in a 4-1 win. The Premier League sensation “started on a good foot” according to Weah.
“I saw Erling when I was in Man City, and that’s someone that I watched, and I always say to people, ‘He’s a great striker, he’s a great goal scorer,’” Weah recalled.
Argentina capped the night with a shutout against Algeria and with all three goals belonging to their maestro, as Messi reminded the world of his unique talents.
“He’s one of the greatest players we’ve ever seen,” Weah said. “So, what happened is not a strange thing. People believe that he’s older, but the more older he gets, the more wiser he is.”
“Just know that he is a phenomenon,” Weah added.
New Zealand vs. Egypt
When: 9 p.m. ET
Where? BC Place, Vancouver, Canada
From CNN’s Emile Nuh:
New Zealand was impressive in its opener against Iran, and unsurprisingly, its captain and all-time leading goalscorer Chris Wood was the architect. Wood set up winger Elijah Just for both of the All Whites’ goals and the Premier League striker will need to play a key role again for his country.
Egypt, after drawing 1-1 with Belgium, might represent its best opportunity to do so. Head coach Hossam Hassan deployed Mohamed Salah in a more central No. 10 role against the Belgians, and the move paid off as the former Liverpool star set up Emam Ashour’s stunning long-range strike.
It’s currently a stalemate in Group G with all four teams sitting on one point.
The Final Whistle: Who is already through and who is out?
It feels like the tournament has only just started, but it’s already practically over for some. Here is a quick look at which teams are heading out and which teams are already through to the knockout round.
Firstly, the good news. Mexico became the first team to qualify for the Round of 32 and was quickly followed by the USA earlier this week. Yesterday, the two co-hosts were joined by Germany who booked their spot in the knockouts with a dramatic last-gasp winner against Ivory Coast.
And now for the bad news. This year, FIFA has decided not to use goal-difference in the group stages. Instead, if two teams are level on points, it all goes down to who won the game when both nations played against each other. That means we already know that Haiti, Turkey and Tunisia will be exiting the tournament after the group stage.
All three teams, though, will still play their third and final group games. For pride, if nothing else.
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