India, March 27 -- In a major move, FIFA has approved new rules for the 2026 World Cup to address time-wasting. Over the years, time wasting has become common in international and club football, including World Cup matches. It has been witnessed during substitutions, when a player (from the leading team) takes longer than usual to leave the field, or when football stars feign injuries.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico. It is set to begin on June 11, and the final will take place on July 19.

According to the new rules, substituted players must leave the field within 10 seconds, or the replacement must wait 1 minute before entering. Meanwhile, throw-ins will need to be done within five seconds. If i...