Are cards given out excessively? The 2026 World Cup is on track to set a record number of dismissals
The 2026 World Cup will see an unprecedented number of red cards, with four players sent off in just 24 matches, raising concerns about the lenience of referees.
The wave of sending offs at the FIFA World Cup continues unabated, with the tournament so far seeing four players sent off in just 24 matches. After three players were sent off immediately in the opening match between Mexico and South Africa, the fourth sending off came today in Bosnia and Herzegovina's match against Switzerland, where Tarik Maharemovic received a red card in his team's 1-4 loss.
For reference, in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the same number of players were sent off but over the course of the entire tournament. Are cards awarded more easily in this tournament? In the summer of 2006, the current World Cup record was set with 28 disposals (9 direct and 19 secondary). So, it could get worse. But the current World Cup is on that path, with 79 matches remaining in the coming weeks.
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