The 2026 World Cup may face a huge change in rules: The penalty kick is considered dead after being saved, and the goal is invalid

July 17th news, according to British media reports, FIFA is weighing changes to some rules before next year's World Cup, including canceling the follow-up shot after being saved and the VAR check for the second yellow card.

The Sun said that although any changes to relevant rules require approval from the FIFAB, the idea of canceling the "replacement shot after being saved" has been gaining increasing support. They believe that getting a penalty kick has given the offensive party a great advantage. After being saved, he can still make a follow-up shot, which gives the offensive party a chance to score for a second time. More and more people think this is not fair. Moreover, this reform can also avoid the issue of other players entering the penalty area in advance before taking the penalty kick. The IFAB will review the change in this rule, and if the goalkeeper saves a penalty, it will be considered a "dead ball" and the supplemental goal is invalid.

In addition, the scope of VAR intervention may be expanded, the idea first proposed by the end of 2023. These changes mean that the video referee can participate in many situations on the court, including intervening in the second yellow card and the penalty for corner kicks. As long as there is an obvious penalty error, VAR can intervene. For example, the ball ends up with the offensive player and only goes out of the baseline, but if the referee decides a corner kick, VAR can overturn it.

Although these changes can also lead to disagreement, the IFAB realizes that no such decision should “extra delay” the game time, and that the penalty that can communicate with the VAR referee within a short time will be considered as a part of the changeable.

It is understood that any major rule changes must be agreed before the end of February next year before they can be implemented in next summer's World Cup.