Mexico, World Cup and red cards
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From criticism over water breaks to red cards galore, here’s all the buzz from the opening day of the World Cup.
Arsenal and Chelsea were the biggest beneficiaries of video assistant referee and on-field errors this season.
The 2026 World Cup will feature new soccer rules on VAR, time-wasting, substitutions, injuries, mouth covering and more.
South Africa’s World Cup 2026 opener against Mexico featured a bizarre VAR moment in the 84th minute. After reviewing an off-the-ball clash, referee Wilton Sampaio announced a red card for Themba Zwane.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has announced a raft of landmark rule changes that will come into force ahead of this summer’s World Cup, with the overarching objectives being to tackle discrimination, cut time-wasting, increase match tempo and improve fan and player experience.
Wilton Sampaio stole the spotlight, winning hearts and becoming one of the biggest stars of the FIFA World Cup 2026 opener. He handed out three red cards during Mexico’s intense 2-0 win
