A major new football regulation could change how corner kicks are taken at the World Cup. According to reporting from Spanish outlet El Mundo, players will no longer be allowed to set âscreensâ during corner kicks starting at the tournament. The rule is intended to curb tactics that use body positioning to obstruct defendersâ sightlines and influence where defenders are able to jump or track the ball.
Under the proposed change, the ban applies regardless of whether the ball is considered to be in play at the moment a screen is created. In other words, the authorities would focus on the act of setting a screen during the corner-kick sequence itself, rather than waiting to determine the precise moment the ball becomes live. This makes the regulation broader and potentially easier for officials to apply, because it removes the need for referees to make fine-grained judgments about play status at the exact instant the screening occurs.
The report also emphasizes the immediate consequences if the tactics produce a scoring outcome. If a player sets a block or screen during the corner kick and the play results in a goal, that goal will be ruled out right away. The phrase âruled out immediatelyâ signals that the decision would be taken as part of the standard match control process rather than relying on extended delay or later review. Practically, this could affect how teams celebrate corners: any goal scored from a corner could be disallowed without the usual time for reassessing the legality of player movement patterns after the fact.
The change targets a long-debated part of set-piece play. In modern football, teams often use carefully timed runs, positioning, and physical presence near defenders to create space for runners and attackers arriving at the near and far posts. When those movements resemble screeningâparticularly obstructing a defenderâs ability to see the ball or directly contest the aerial duelâopponents argue that it undermines fairness. Defenders can be pushed into reacting without clear visibility of the incoming cross, making it harder to jump at the right moment or track the ballâs trajectory.
By announcing a direct ban on screening during corner kicks, footballâs governing bodies appear to be aiming for a clearer standard that reduces the grey area currently seen by referees. Screening calls can be difficult because players frequently crowd the area naturally, and referees may have to decide whether contact and positioning were simply part of normal play or whether they crossed into an illegal obstruction tactic. A blanket prohibition during corner kicks from the World Cup suggests that the authorities want to make outcomes less dependent on the interpretive differences between matches.
For teams, the rule would require adjustments in set-piece routines. Tactically, coaching staff may redesign their corner deliveries and the movement of attackers near the six-yard box. Players who previously took positions to screen defenders may be asked to maintain legal proximity that does not interfere with a defenderâs line of sight or ability to challenge the ball. Similarly, teams might shift strategies toward cleaner runs, timed acceleration into the contest, and more direct challenges rather than relying on indirect obstruction.
From a match-officiating perspective, the regulation increases the likelihood of whistle-and-call moments during corners. Referees and assistant referees are likely to pay closer attention to player placement and body positioning near defenders during the delivery phase and immediately after. Because the rule also covers scenarios where the ball is not in play, referees could interpret screening in the broader sequence leading up to the kick, not only after the cross is struck.
The immediate disallowance of goals also raises the stakes during the most dramatic phase of set-piece football. A corner can swing momentum instantly; disallowing goals directly tied to illegal screening could influence coaching decisions late in matchesâteams leading by a single goal might be wary of counter-attack vulnerability, while teams chasing goals might have to weigh aggressive corner patterns against the risk of disqualification.
As the tournament approaches, teams will look to interpret how the rule is enforced in practice. The key factor highlighted by the report is simple: screens are banned during corner kicks, regardless of the ballâs play status, and if a goal follows from a play involving a block or screening action, it will be cancelled right away. Source: El Mundo
The Touchline | đ: đ¨ đđĽđđđđđĄđ: Players will not be allowed to create screens during corner kicks starting from the World Cup. It does not matter whether the ball is in play or not. If there is a block and the play results in a goal, it will be ruled out immediately. â @elmundoes. #breaking
â @TouchlineX May 1, 2026
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