FIFA may be forced into urgent World Cup rule change after horror incident | Football | Sport

FIFA could be forced into an urgent World Cup rule change after a Paraguay player was left in a heap during Thursday’s clash with Australia. The two sides played out a goalless draw, which was enough to see the Aussies progress as runners-up, and should secure Paraguay’s progression into the knockouts as one of the best third-place teams.

However, one of the biggest talking points post-match was an incident that saw Julio Enciso clatter into the advertising hoardings at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. The Strasbourg ace got back to his feet and continued playing, but the Paraguay coach, Gustavo Alfaro, has urged FIFA to reassess the proximity of the hoardings to the pitch.

Alfaro said: “I think that maybe if there was more space that will be good because of course there’s a lot of intensity when we are playing, and sometimes if a player gets destabilised, he could fall and get injured and these things can happen. So, maybe we have to think ‌about ⁠that and reassess.”

World Cup watchers have commented on how close to the touchline the hoardings have been. It can be somewhat explained by the smaller dimensions of an NFL field compared to a football pitch, meaning less space exists from the hoardings to the touchline.

Some of the NFL stadiums selected for the World Cup even needed to undergo renovations so that their pitches were the correct size. However, that may once again need to be relooked at if it poses a threat to player safety.

If FIFA are to implement any change, it would ideally come before the start of the knockout rounds, which get underway on Sunday.

It isn’t the only controversy FIFA has had to deal with this summer, given the backlash surrounding hydration breaks at the World Cup. The governing body doubled down on their stance to have them in every match, even though some wouldn’t have reached the threshold for a water break in previous tournaments.

Critics have suggested FIFA is profiting off the hydration breaks, as it allows broadcasters to show adverts during the three-minute time-out. FIFA president Gianni Infantino rubbished those claims, saying: “The main reason is the heat, but we also have to understand that in a competition like the (FIFA) World Cup, played over 39 days, with teams potentially playing eight matches in those 39 days, having a moment to rest is extremely important.

“What matters even more to us is ensuring that all teams, in every match, are playing under the same conditions. And it’s very difficult to accept that a coach might have the opportunity to influence a match by making adjustments simply because it’s hotter, while in another match, where the temperature is slightly lower, the same coach doesn’t have the same opportunity. We want to ensure equal conditions for everyone, and that’s why these breaks are implemented in every match.”