Sport

2026 World Cup Quarter-finals: 17 players facing one-month ban

Seventeen players are at risk of missing the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup if they receive another yellow card during the quarter-final stage of the competition.

 

The players entered the disciplinary zone after picking up cautions in their respective Round of 16 matches, meaning another booking in the last-eight fixtures would trigger a one-match suspension.

 

Morocco have the highest number of players facing the threat, with Issa Diop, Achraf Hakimi, Redouane Halhal and Bilal El Khannouss all one yellow card away from a ban.

 

England also have four players on the list, including Jude Bellingham, Nico O’Reilly, Declan Rice and Marc Guehi.

 

France’s Michael Olise and Manu Kone are also walking the disciplinary tightrope ahead of the quarter-finals.

 

Others at risk include Switzerland’s Granit Xhaka, Denis Zakaria and Miro Muheim, Spain’s Ferran Torres, Norway’s Antonio Nusa, Belgium’s Brandon Mechele and Argentina’s Gonzalo Montiel.

 

The affected players will need to avoid further cautions in the quarter-final matches to remain available for their teams’ potential semi-final fixtures.

Olayinka Babatunde

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