TERESÓPOLIS — Players and members of the Brazilian National Team coaching staff attended a lecture on refereeing changes for the World Cup on May 29, 2026, at Granja Comary in Teresópolis, Rio de Janeiro. The session covered new resolutions from the International Football Association Board (IFAB) that will be implemented for the first time at a World Cup.

CBF Refereeing Commission president Rodrigo Cintra led the meeting and explained changes to VAR protocols, goal kicks, throw-ins, and substitutions.

"This was the first time we had the opportunity to speak directly with the Brazilian National Team players about the changes for the 2026/27 season, which for the first time will take place at a World Cup. I noticed tremendous interest from the players in gaining a deep understanding of the details of these changes and the impacts they may have on a football match," Cintra said.

"It is worth remembering that we stressed to the players that referees will not take the field looking for mistakes or counting seconds at random. These rule changes are meant to bring more fairness and increase the amount of time the ball is in play," he added.

Under the new rules, VAR will review red cards resulting from a clearly incorrect second yellow card and may correct the on-field referee if they have mistaken the identity of the player who committed a foul. However, VAR can only change who receives a card and cannot review whether the foul occurred, except in penalty and goal situations. VAR will also correct incorrectly awarded corner kicks or goal kicks, provided the correction occurs before play is restarted.

On goal kicks and throw-ins, players have a maximum of five seconds to put the ball back into play. From the moment the fourth official raises the substitution board, the player being replaced has up to ten seconds to leave the field by the nearest exit point. In the final five seconds of the substitution window, the on-field referee will begin a visual countdown. If a player takes longer than ten seconds to exit, their substitute must wait one minute after the next stoppage before entering.

When an outfield player suffers an apparent injury, the medical team may enter the field to assess the player, but treatment must occur off the field. The injured player must remain off the field for one minute of running time after play resumes and can only return with the on-field referee’s authorization. Exceptions include goalkeeper injuries, serious collisions between teammates, concussions, cardiac problems, serious head injuries, situations where the injured player is the designated penalty taker, or when the injured player was fouled and the offending player receives a yellow or red card with quick treatment.

The new refereeing rules will be applied in Brazil’s friendly match against Panama on May 31, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. Brasília time at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro.