10-Second Substitution Rule Debuts in Tokyo, Costing a Goal Opportunity

During a friendly at the new Tokyo National Stadium, Japan faced Iceland as part of World Cup 2026 preparations. The referee enforced the new 10-second substitution rule strictly, allowing only one of the two changes requested by Icelandic coach Arnar Gunnlaugsson.

This left Iceland with one player fewer on the field for a minute, and the substituted player received a yellow card. The incident marks one of the first applications of the rule set to debut at the 2026 World Cup.

The match ended 0-0, but the rule’s impact sparked widespread discussion.