This year in Qatar is going to be different from all other World Cup tournaments in
different ways. To start with, we already know that time and place are different.
We’re used to the World Cup being played in the summer at the end of the European season,
but this time around, the tournament will be held mid-season during fall.
Also, as you probably already know,
this will be the first time the FIFA World Cup will be hosted by an Arab nation.
But guess what! When the tournament starts in November,
time and place will be the new things you’re least concerned about.
You know why? Because there are new rules being introduced in Qatar this year.
Did we just hear you ask what those rules are?
Come along as we look at 5 new rules introduced to the 2022 World Cup that will turn the tides.
1. 5 substitutions
Now, this may not look new to you because you’re already used to seeing it in UEFA
competitions and even in some local leagues, but this year will actually be the first time
that the World Cup will be allowing teams to make 5 substitutions during a single game.
These 5 subs will have to be made in 3 windows,
and each team gets an extra sub if the game goes into extra time.
Don’t take this change for granted. Teams with deep squads
know how very advantageous this can be when they find themselves in difficult situations.
And of course, players will love this, because it means
more players who originally would not have ever come off the bench throughout
the tournament will get the opportunity to feature with more subs being able to come on.
2. Semi-automated offside technology
Video assistant referees were introduced to the World Cup in 2018,
and just 4 years later, we already have an upgrade to the technology.
In this year’s edition, we will be seeing advanced technology being employed in making offside calls.
Reports say that this new system will cut down the time it takes VAR
to make an offside call from an average of 70 seconds to about 20.
According to Arsene Wenger, who is now FIFA’s chief of global football development,
this new technology will operate similarly to the goal line technology. Here, the linesman
will wear a watch where he gets an almost immediate signal if a player is caught offside.
A 3D animation depicting the offside will be displayed on the big screen
in the stadium and, of course, on the TV screens for the viewers at home.
How it works?
There will be about 12 cameras fitted under the roofs of stadiums in Qatar, and those cameras
will be tracking 29 different parts of every player’s body. In addition to that, the match
balls will be fitted with sensors which collect different data about 500 times in one second.
All that data is then fed to the guys in the VAR room who then send the correct call to
the linesmen on the pitch via that watch. All these will be happening in a matter of seconds.
We’re actually excited to see how this will play out in Qatar. Because,
honestly, fans around the world are tired of how long it takes VAR to detect offside calls.
3. Expanded roster
2022 will see more players at the World Cup than any other edition. First of all,
the number of eligible players required from each national team
has been expanded to 55. It was a maximum of 35 as at the 2018 World Cup.
Then teams will now be required to bring forward a final 26-man list of players who will be going
to the World Cup. This is an upgrade from the 23-man squads required in previous tournaments.
Now, with the expansion of the squads, and an
increase in the number of substitutions allowed, it makes sense that there’s
also an increase in the number of bench players. That has gone up from 12 to 15.
Why were these changes introduced? Well, FIFA said those changes were necessary…
“given the need to retain additional flexibility due to the unique timing of the FIFA World Cup
2022 in the global calendar, as well as the broader context of the disruptive
effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on squads before and during tournaments.”
So, that suggests that things will revert to normal for the 2026 edition. Hm.
We’re not very sure about that, but we’ll have to wait and see.
4. Goalkeeper foot-on-the-line rule
Just like the 5 subs rule, this is another change that may not look so new to you
at the World Cup because they have already been implemented elsewhere.
But as far as the FIFA World Cup is concerned, 2022 will be the first time that goalkeepers
are required to have, at least, some part of their foot on the line at the point a penalty is taken.
We all know how many penalty retakes and even cautions this very rule
has produced in league and Champions League games. Having that drama in the World Cup
will only be bringing more welcome drama to the biggest competition on the globe. We can’t wait!
5. Female referees
For the first ever, we will be seeing female referees officiate games at the World Cup.
Already, Stephanie Frappart of France, Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda,
and Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan have been confirmed as the first
women who will officiate games at a men’s FIFA World Cup tournament.
There will also be three female assistant refs at the World Cup in Qatar, and we know you are
already used to seeing female assistant refs in the Premier League and the Champions League,
but this will be the first time a men’s World Cup tournament will have female assistant refs.
These new rules, changes, and upgrades we expect to see at the World Cup in Qatar
are doing nothing but make us a lot more eager for November to come.
We anticipate a new looking World Cup tournament and we are really excited. Are you?
If you are, get in the comments and tell us what new rule
you’re really looking forward to seeing implemented at the tournament in November.
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