World Cup: 17 players risk ban over yellow cards

Seventeen players will head into the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals with one booking away from suspension, with another yellow card ruling them out of a potential semi-final.

Under FIFA’s disciplinary rules, any player who receives a second yellow card in the tournament during the quarter-finals will miss the semi-finals if their team advances.

A total of seventeen players bagged yellow cards in the Round of 16 that concluded on Tuesday.

Morocco have four players walking the disciplinary tightrope: Issa Diop, Achraf Hakimi, Redouane Halhal and Bilal El Khannouss.

England also have four players at risk of suspension — Jude Bellingham, Nico O’Reilly, Declan Rice and Marc Guehi.

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Jarell Quansah also picked up a red card in the Lions’ 3-2 victory over co-host Mexico, ruling him out of the quarter-final against Norway on Saturday.

France duo Manu Kone and Michael Olise are also one caution away from missing a possible semi-final.

Switzerland’s Granit Xhaka, Denis Zakaria and Miro Muheim face the same situation, while Spain’s Ferran Torres, Norway’s Antonio Nusa, Belgium’s Brandon Mechele and Argentina’s Gonzalo Montiel complete the list.

All 17 players will need to avoid another booking in the last-eight fixtures to remain eligible for a potential semi-final.

Saheed Oyelakin

Saheed is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over two years of experience covering metro, technology, sports, politics, and human-interest stories. He focuses on producing clear, engaging reports across diverse beats. Saheed’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate and balanced journalism.

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