Key World Cup Players Face Suspension Risk Ahead of Quarterfinals
The 2026 FIFA World Cup resumes on Thursday with the quarterfinal match between France and Morocco in Boston. As the tournament progresses, eight top national teams must be cautious about players accumulating yellow cards, which could lead to suspensions in the semifinals.
France has three players at risk of suspension if they receive another yellow card: Michael Olise, Manu Koné, and Bradley Barcola. Morocco faces an even greater challenge with five players close to suspension: Achraf Hakimi, Issa Diop, Redouane Chalhal, Azeddine Ounahi, and Bilal Hanous.
In the Spain vs. Belgium match, Fran Torres is the only player in danger of suspension, while Belgium currently has no players at risk. England must watch Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, and Neco O'Neill carefully to avoid yellow cards in their upcoming game against Norway. Antonio Nusa is the sole player at risk for the Scandinavian team.
Argentina has only Gonzalo Montiel at risk, whereas Switzerland has three players close to suspension: Granit Xhaka, Denis Zakaria, and Miro Muheim. It is important to note that after the quarterfinals, all yellow card counts will be reset, preventing players from missing the final due to accumulated cautions.
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