Concacaf Confirms Implementation of the IFAB 2026/27 Laws of the Game Amendments 

Miami, FL – Concacaf has confirmed the implementation of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) 2026/27 Laws of the Game amendments for its competitions. The updated regulations came into effect on July 1, 2026, and will apply to all Concacaf-sanctioned competitions starting as of July 20, 2026.

The amendments introduce several important changes designed to improve the flow of play, reduce unnecessary delays, expand the scope of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviews, and clarify several existing Laws of the Game.

Measures to Improve Match Flow

To further reduce time lost during matches, IFAB has approved new measures related to restarts, substitutions, and injuries. Among the most significant changes:

• Throw-ins and goal kicks: Referees will use a visible five-second countdown when a team deliberately delays taking a throw-in or goal kick. Failure to restart play within the countdown will result in possession being awarded to the opposing team—a throw-in in the case of delayed throw-ins, or a corner kick for delayed goal kicks.
• Substitutions: Once a substitution has been authorized, the player leaving the field must do so within 10 seconds. If the player fails to leave within the 10 seconds, the substitute will not be permitted to enter until the first stoppage occurring at least one minute after play has restarted.
• Injuries: Outfield players whose injuries require play to be stopped or who receive treatment on the field must leave the field of play and remain off for one minute following the restart, except in the situations already outlined in Law 5 that do not require an injured player to leave the field of play.

Expanded VAR Protocol

The VAR protocol has also been expanded to include additional reviewable situations. VAR will now be able to intervene in cases involving:

• Red cards resulting from a clearly incorrect second caution.
• Mistaken identity when the wrong player is shown a yellow or red card, including when player is shown a red card but the offence for which the card was shown was committed by another player of either team.
• Incorrect corner-kick decisions provided the error can be corrected immediately without delaying the restart.
• Offence before the ball is in play at a corner kick / free kick resulting in a goal or penalty kick

Other key amendments to the Laws of the Game include increasing the maximum number of substitutions permitted in senior "A" international friendly matches from six to eight (with the option for both teams to agree to up to 11), permitting safely covered accessories, allowing referees to apply advantage following an incorrectly taken restart, introducing the option for competitions to use referee cameras, and removing the caution for a DOGSO offence when advantage is played and a goal is subsequently scored.

Concacaf has also confirmed that the “Only the captain” guidelines will become a mandatory protocol for all competitions.

Additionally, the Confederation will not adopt the optional IFAB provision providing for the dismissal of players who cover their mouths while communicating with an opponent during on-field confrontations, while the implementation of ‘cooling’ breaks will continue to be determined on a match-by-match basis using Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) measurements.