New World Cup injury rule leaves Moises Caicedo furious on the sidelines

A new World Cup 2026 rule has already drawn attention in the early days of the tournament: any player who appears injured must stay off the field for one minute before returning. The measure joins other fresh regulations, including drinking breaks and the throw-in rule.

The most notable example came in Ecuador’s match against Ivory Coast, when Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo, one of the most expensive players in football history, claimed he was hurt after the first corner of the game. Under the new rule, he had to remain on the touchline for a full minute.

Caicedo was visibly angry while waiting to re-enter, but after the minute passed he returned to the match. Ivory Coast also seemed surprised by the situation, yet its players did not take advantage of the temporary numerical advantage to launch an attack.

The rule is intended to prevent players from faking injuries and to force any injured player to leave the field for one minute before coming back.