Red Card Suspensions at World Cup 2026: How Many Games Do Players Miss?

Getting sent off in a World Cup match can be a nightmare for any player and their team. Under FIFA's disciplinary rules, a direct red card in the group stage results in an automatic one-match suspension, meaning the player misses the next fixture. However, if the red card is shown in the knockout stages, the ban carries forward to the following match, which could be a quarter-final, semi-final, or even the final itself. For particularly violent conduct or serious foul play, FIFA can extend the b...