It’s easy to overlook obscure FIFA soccer rules when the 2026 World Cup is in full swing. There’s already so much happening during the tournament that the thought of diving into a complex web of rules, governed by the International Football Association Board (IFAB,) can be daunting.
But what if a player bites another player during a game? Or if a beach ball thrown from the stands blocks the game ball during a scoring opportunity? Because both examples have occurred in the past, we have a good idea as to how referees deal with these situations.
There are endless variables that can take place during a soccer game that even the most diehard fans can be left scratching their heads, wondering what the official rules of the game actually dictate. From balls popping during games to dogs running on the field, we tackle the key (and weird) soccer rules that might unfold during the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
World Cup Rules 101: The Basics Explained
Before we get into the weird and wonderful, it’s worth covering the fundamentals that even casual fans sometimes get tripped up on. Here’s what you need to know heading into the 2026 World Cup.
👉 How does the group stage work?
The World Cup kicks off with a group stage, where 48 teams are divided into 12 groups of four. Each team plays the other three teams in its group once, earning three points for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss — with the top two teams from each group advancing to the round of 32.
👉 How are tiebreakers decided in the group stage?
If two or more teams are level on points at the end of the group stage, FIFA uses a series of tiebreakers to determine who advances. Goal difference (goals scored minus goals conceded) is the first criteria, followed by total goals scored — and if teams are still level, it comes down to head-to-head results between the tied sides.
👉 What happens if a knockout game is tied after 90 minutes?
Unlike the group stage, where draws are perfectly acceptable, knockout round ties must be settled. Teams play two 15-minute periods of extra time, and if the score remains level after that, a penalty shootout determines who advances.
👉 How many substitutions are allowed?
Teams are permitted to make up to five substitutions per game, a rule that was permanently adopted following the COVID-19 pandemic. There’s a catch, though — substitutions can only be made during three stoppages of play (excluding halftime), so managers need to be strategic rather than burning through all five changes at once.
👉 What is the offside rule?
A player is in an offside position if they are nearer to the opponent’s goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last defender at the moment the ball is played to them. It’s one of the most debated calls in the sport, and with VAR now a fixture at the World Cup, even the slimmest of margins — a shoulder, a toe — can disallow a goal.
👉 What does VAR do at the World Cup?
Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology is used at the World Cup to review four specific types of decisions: goals and the build-up to them, penalty decisions, direct red card incidents, and cases of mistaken identity. It’s not a tool to second-guess every call — referees can only be directed to the pitchside monitor for a review when a clear and obvious error has been made.
👉 How many players can a team have in their squad?
Each nation is allowed to register a 26-man squad for the World Cup, with 11 players starting each match and up to five substitutions permitted during the game. If a goalkeeper is injured during a match and all three substitutions have already been used, an outfield player must go in goal — a rare but genuinely terrifying scenario for any manager.
FIFA 101: Uncommon 2026 World Cup Rules
Now that you’ve got the basics down, it’s time to venture into the rulebook’s stranger corners — the ones that rarely come up, but always cause a stir when they do. From dogs on the pitch to balls that pop mid-flight, the World Cup has a protocol for just about everything. Here’s what FIFA has to say when things get truly weird.
What Happens if a World Cup Match Gets Aabandoned?
There are multiple acceptable reasons that can cause the abandonment of a World Cup game. Poor weather conditions, crowd disturbances, or stadium power failures can all lead referees to delaying matches. These force majeure (unforeseeable circumstances) events often bring games to a halt and force players to retreat to their dressing rooms. If such incidents take place before games, kick-off will usually be moved to a later time when resumption is possible.
However, if they occur during games then matches will restart at the exact minute in which the play was forced to stop. Rather than restarting from 0-0, the score stays the same as it was at the time of the delay. The exact same players who were on the pitch are also required to return to their positions before teams are allowed to make substitutions.
At the World Cup, FIFA prefers to resume games no later than the day after a match gets abandoned in order to avoid disrupting the tournament’s schedule.
Can a Goalkeeper Score in the World Cup?
Yes, a goalkeeper is treated like any of the other players on the field and is eligible to score. While such instances are extremely rare, especially at the World Cup, it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility.
Goalkeepers have been known to score from goal kicks, but usually don’t do so unless conditions are windy enough to carry the ball far down the field or help the ball rise abnormally high off of a bounce. They can also run up the field to join teammates queuing up for a corner kick. This usually occurs late in games when teams are trailing and leaving the net empty is a risk worth taking.
But, while goalkeepers are famous for using their hands, they aren’t allowed to throw the ball directly into the net, no matter the distance. Throwing the ball into the opposing net would result in a goal kick for the other team.
Don’t get your hopes up for this summer, though, as no goalkeeper has ever recorded a goal in World Cup history.
Would a Goal Scored Directly from Kick-Off Count?
Scoring directly from kick-off at the start of a game is totally legal. Now that teams are no longer required to touch the ball twice from kick–off, it’s possible for an audacious player to unleash a shot from the centre circle and score. But the likelihood of the ball going into the net is very low from this area at the World Cup–or any professional soccer game for that matter.
Although no one has ever scored directly from kick-off, there have been lightning-fast goals scored throughout the history of the World Cup. Turkey’s Hakan Sukur holds the record for the fastest goal at a World Cup after scoring just 11 seconds into a game against South Korea in 2002. The goal transpired after a defensive error rather than being scored directly from kick-off.
Scoring directly from kick-offs is more likely to occur in lower soccer leagues instead of the World Cup, as goalkeepers would need to be caught off guard for someone to convert from so far away.
What Happens if a Dog (or another animal) Runs Onto the Field During a World Cup Game?
A dog running onto the field can often be a wholesome and viral moment in soccer. It’s also downright funny, as players chase the four-legged pitch invaders around the field before getting dog slobber all over their faces after a successful catch. It happens more often than some might think. And that’s why referees are prepared for when dogs, or any animal enters the field of play.
As soon as a dog—categorized as an “outside agent” by FIFA—interferes with play, the match is immediately stopped. Once the animal is removed, the game restarts with a drop ball to the team that was in possession at the time of the disruption. There are also guidelines in the event that a dog touches the ball as it’s going into the net. So long as the pooch doesn’t interfere with defenders, goals will still be awarded if a goal-bound ball is touched by a dog without changing its direction.
However, if a dog saves the ball from going in, no goal will be awarded. Amazingly, this technically means that a stray dog could deny Lionel Messi a goal-scoring opportunity at the 2026 World Cup.
What Happens if the Ball Pops During a Goal?
A ball popping during a soccer game is among one of the more bizarre sights to behold. A ball getting punctured on its way into the net is even more unusual. While it’s extremely unlikely to happen this summer, there are protocols for such an oddity.
A ball getting punctured on its way into the net without fully crossing the goal line won’t result in a goal being awarded. The referee would halt play before resuming with a dropped ball, at the location where it popped, to the team that was in possession at the time. The goal will only stand if the ball pops, either by a sharp object or natural cause, after it crosses the line.
The last time a ball popped or malfunctioned during a World Cup game was in 2018. The Adidas Telstar 18 lost pressure multiple times during the World Cup in Russia, including twice during a game between France and Australia.
Recap: Top FIFA Rule Q&A
Whether it’s five substitutions gone wrong, a goalkeeper charging upfield in desperation, or a rogue dog somehow denying the greatest player on the planet, the 2026 World Cup rulebook is anything but dull. FIFA may have a protocol for just about every scenario imaginable — popping balls, abandoned matches, and penalty refusals included — but that’s part of what makes the tournament so endlessly fascinating. The rules, obscure as some of them may be, exist for good reason, and knowing them only adds another layer to the spectacle set to unfold across Mexico, Canada, and the United States this summer. So whether you’re watching for the drama, the goals, or the small chance a stray animal makes its way onto the pitch at the worst possible moment, at least now you’ll know exactly what happens next.
FIFA World Cup Rules FAQs
The thought of a team refusing to take a penalty is almost incomprehensible. But such incidents have occurred in the past. The decision to refuse a penalty is usually born out of protest or sportsmanship. But, no matter the noble cause, such an act comes with significant consequences. Referees have the authority to abandon games if the situation persists and the refusing team is issued with a 3-0 defeat.
There are some that believe the myth that own goals in extra time don’t count. This is completely false. Whether a player scores an own goal in the first minute of extra time or the last, it will count against his team while benefitting the opposition.
