FIFA Could Trial Major Corner-Kick Rule Change at 2026 World Cup
FIFA could trial a major corner-kick rule change at the 2026 World Cup as senior figures have been pushing for it.
The 2026 World Cup will take place in North America from June 11 to July 19.
The main host country of matches is the United States, while Canada and Mexico will co-host.
Next summer's tournament will look very different to previous World Cups as it will be the first to include 48 nations, expanded from 32.
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And the amount of teams may not be the only major change.
That's because FIFA could be given special dispensation to allow VAR to have extra powers at next year's World Cup, including over corner-kick decisions.
According to The Times, senior FIFA figures have been pushing for VAR being able to intervene if officials believe a corner has been awarded incorrectly.
The move would give organisers permission to use the extra powers on a temporary or trail basis, which means they would be used in the Premier League next season.
Senior figures and organisers argue that the stakes are too high for incorrect decisions to be made.
They believe decisions need to be as accurate as possible around possible match-changing decisions and it would be a serious issue if a mistakenly awarded corner altered the outcome of the final.
VAR could also be allowed to review second yellow cards to confirm if a sending off is correct.
Any law changes would come into play from June 1 - in time for next summer's World Cup.
International Football Association Board (IFAB) board members would want to be convinced that any extension of the VAR powers would not lead to an increase in delays and that any new decision would have to be taken by video officials in a matter of seconds, per the report.
IFAB is made up of the four British associations, who have one vote each, and FIFA, which has four votes. Any change to the laws of the game needs at least six of the eight votes to be passed.
Topics: FIFA, FIFA World Cup, Football
Nasir Jabbar