Jarell Quansah is the only player suspended for the World Cup quarter-finals after receiving a straight red card against Mexico. Twenty players are walking a disciplinary tightrope, risking a semi-final ban if they receive a yellow card in the last eight.
FIFA's Adjusted Yellow Card Rules
FIFA has adjusted its yellow card laws for the 2026 tournament due to an extra round of games. Previously, two yellow cards before the semi-final resulted in a one-match ban. Now, yellow cards are wiped twice: after the group stage and after the quarter-finals. Any player booked in a knockout game must avoid a yellow card in the quarter-final to be available for the semi-final.
France vs Morocco
Morocco has five players at risk: Issa Diop (booked vs Netherlands), and Redouane Halhal, Achraf Hakimi, Azzedine Ounahi, and Bilal El-Khannouss (all booked vs Canada). France has three players at risk: Bradley Barcola, Manu Kone, and Michael Olise, all booked against Paraguay.
England vs Norway
England has five players at risk: Declan Rice, Marc Guehi, Nico O'Reilly, and Jordan Henderson (all booked vs Mexico), plus Jude Bellingham (booked vs DR Congo). Henderson is injured and unlikely to play again this tournament. Jarell Quansah is suspended for the quarter-final due to a straight red card against Mexico. Norway's only player at risk is Antonio Nusa, booked against Ivory Coast.
Spain vs Belgium
Spain has only one player at risk: Ferran Torres, booked deep into stoppage time against Portugal. Belgium also has one player at risk: Brandon Mechele, booked against Senegal.
Argentina vs Switzerland
Switzerland has three players at risk: Granit Xhaka, Denis Zakaria, and Miro Muheim, all booked against Colombia. Argentina's only player at risk is Gonzalo Montiel, booked across their two knockout matches.
Argentina, Belgium, Spain, and Norway each have only one player at risk, making them the most disciplined sides in the knockout stage.
