The rules of yellow and red cards in the World Cup knockout stages have been clarified, providing crucial information for players and teams ahead of the competition's final stages.
Yellow cards will be wiped after the quarter-final stage, meaning that any player who picks up two yellow cards in the Round of 32, Round of 16, or quarter-finals will be suspended for the semi-finals.
This means that a yellow card in the semi-final will not rule a player out of the final, ensuring that only a red card in the semi-final will prevent a player from featuring in a World Cup final.
Four England players are at risk of suspension for the semi-finals, including Jude Bellingham, who was booked in the win over DR Congo but managed to avoid a repeat offence against Mexico.
Declan Rice was booked after barely a minute had been played against Mexico in the Round of 16, while Harry Kane and Nico O'Reilly joined him in the referee's notebook in the second half.
FIFA rules state that any player picking up a red card in the World Cup will be suspended for the team's following game, regardless of what stage the competition is at.
This applies to red cards resulting from two yellow cards and straight red cards, and the length of the suspension can increase depending on the circumstances.
Jarrel Quansah, who was sent off against Mexico, initially looked set to only miss the Norway game, but his ban was increased to two matches, meaning he will not be able to play again until the final, if England make it that far.
