In the 2026 World Cup , yellow cards reset after the group stage and again after the quarter-finals.

What that means

  • Any single yellow cards from the group stage are cleared before the knockout rounds begin.
  • Yellow cards then accumulate again through the round of 32, round of 16, and quarter-finals.
  • They are cleared again after the quarter-finals, so players start the semi-finals with a clean slate.

Important exception

  • A player who gets two yellows in separate matches before a reset is still suspended for the next match.
  • A red card, or two yellows in the same match, still leads to a suspension regardless of the reset.

Quick version

Yellow cards reset after the group stage and after the quarter-finals.