Two England stars will benefit from World Cup rule change vs DR Congo as FIFA sanction avoided

Two England players are no longer at risk of missing their World Cup last 16 clash, should they progress against DR Congo, after a FIFA rule change.

Thomas Tuchel's side take on DR Congo, who finished in third place in Group K, at the Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday.

Their success as group winners in Group I meant that they were guaranteed to take on one of five third-placed teams in the round of 32.

If England manage to pass Wednesday's tough test, they will progress to the last 16 to take on Mexico in Mexico City.

That would see them face a daunting task in the 87,523-capacity Azteca Stadium, which has proved to be a fortress for Mexico so far in this World Cup.

They beat Ecuador 2-0 in their round of 32 clash on Tuesday, but could have scored more and were only denied by some excellent saves from opposition goalkeeper Hernan Galindez.

With England's ongoing injury issues at right-back, Tuchel will be desperate to have all his other players available to him should the Three Lions not be heading home early tonight.

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Heading into the DR Congo clash, he will be slightly more relaxed in the knowledge that Declan Rice and Jarell Quansah cannot fall foul of a rule that was previously in place during past World Cups.

Traditionally, players had to walk a tightrope in the group stages and into the knockouts, with yellow cards only wiped at the quarter-final stage.

But, following the decision to expand the World Cup format from 32 to 48 teams, FIFA have added another yellow card window to the tournament.

Yellow cards are now wiped at the end of the group stage, meaning that Rice and Quansah - who have one booking each - are no longer at risk of suspension for the last 16.

Quansah was initially expected to miss the DR Congo game through an ankle injury, but has been named on the bench in Atlanta - though it is unclear as to whether he will be fit enough to play any part.

Because the second window falls at the end of the quarter-finals, however, any England player who gets booked on Wednesday will be back on that disciplinary tightrope against Mexico should that match take place.

And it also means that Rice and Quansah can afford to be more aggressive and pick up a yellow card against DR Congo.

Declan Rice will benefit from a FIFA rule change vs DR Congo (Image: Getty)

The specific timing of that window is so that players cannot miss the World Cup final itself through picking up too many single yellow cards.

And of course, being sent off for receiving two yellow cards in the same match still incurs a one-match ban whenever it happens.

Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Quansah was deployed at right-back in the 2-0 win over Panama following Reece James' hamstring injury, but lasted only an hour before limping off himself.

Djed Spence, who is a natural right-back, is starting against DR Congo in what will be his second start of this World Cup.

Rice, meanwhile, is back in the starting XI after he did not feature at all in the win over Panama.

Who is at risk of missing World Cup quarter-finals?

With six World Cup round of 32 matches having already been played ahead of England's clash, there are already a host of players who will be under additional pressure not to get booked again in their last 16 matches.

Norway's Antonio Nusa, who scored their first goal in the 2-1 win over Ivory Coast, picked up a yellow card, along with Morocco defender and goalscorer Issa Diop against Netherlands.

The Paraguay duo of Andres Cubas and Matias Galarza are also at risk, along with Brazil's Casemiro and Danilo.

Finally, the Canadian pair of Nathan Saliba and Niko Sigur are also on one yellow card as per FIFA's new rule.