Conmebol just made a wild move, announcing they are adopting the new football rules we saw at the 2026 World Cup. But get this: they completely ditched the "Vini Jr Law," the one supposed to punish players covering their mouths during arguments on the pitch. Seriously, it's out!
New Rules To Speed Up The Game
So, what's Conmebol actually bringing in from those IFAB rules approved in February? It's all about making games faster and stopping time-wasting. We're talking visible five-second counts for deliberate delays on throw-ins and goal kicks. Drag your feet, and possession flips to the opponent. A delayed goal kick? That's now a corner kick. Wild, right?
Substitutions are also getting a shake-up. A subbed player has ten seconds to get off the field. If they stall, the replacement waits a full minute to enter, leaving their team a player short. Same goes for medical treatment on the field: players now wait at least sixty seconds to return, their team playing a man down. And VAR is expanding! The video ref can now correct wrongly awarded corners or overturn a second yellow card given by mistake, all without the head ref running to the monitor. It's about time, honestly.
The "Vini Jr Law" Got Booted, For Real
This is the part that makes zero sense. Conmebol is flat out not adopting the rule that would send players off for covering their mouths during arguments. Remember Paraguay's Almirón and Ecuador's Hincapié? Both got red cards for doing exactly that during the World Cup. And now Conmebol says, "Nah, we're good"?
This "Vini Jr Law" drama blew up last season after Benfica's Prestianni was accused of making racist remarks against Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior in a Champions League match. You'd think preventing hidden trash talk would be a no-brainer, but Conmebol apparently thinks otherwise. Even UEFA is giving the "Vini Jr Law" a pass in their tournaments. What are these organizations even thinking?
Brazil's Clubs Are Up Next
So, what about Brazil? The CBF, which runs their football, sent a letter just this Monday, July 13, to all Série A and Série B clubs. They are setting up an August meeting to discuss all their studies on the impact of these new rules. The big goal is to talk about whether it's feasible to bring these changes into the Brasileirão, and if so, how and when. The "Vini Jr Law" will definitely be on the agenda, and Brazilian referees are already getting trained on the new rules. Something big is brewing down there.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup wraps up fast, with Spain facing either Argentina or England in New Jersey for the final this Sunday, July 19. Right after that, the Copa Sudamericana round-of-16 playoffs kick off July 21-23 with Grêmio, RB Bragantino, Santos, and Vasco playing. How these new rules, especially the absence of the "Vini Jr Law," play out in these upcoming tournaments, and what Brazil decides, is going to be absolutely wild. You know I'll be watching!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.