Nicolas Otamendi and Moises Caicedo cleared by FIFA to play opening World Cup games

[p]FIFA said on Friday the ‌move was designed to allow countries to field their ‌strongest squads on the sport’s biggest stage, while preserving disciplinary fairness ‌and the tournament’s overall integrity.[/p][p]Following consultations with the confederations, ‌the Bureau of the Council unanimously decided to amend article 10 paragraph 2 of the Regulations for World Cup 2026.[/p][p]Under the amendment 'single yellow ‌cards and pending one or two-match suspensions ⁠as a consequence of cautions ‌in different matches in the preliminary competition, an indirect red card, ​or a direct red card for denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goalscoring opportunity or ​for serious foul play are not carried over to the final competition'.[/p][p]FIFA added that 'any other pending match suspensions imposed ⁠as a result of ​a red card in matches in the preliminary competition are carried over to the final competition.'[/p][p]The Argentine Football Association (AFA) said on Thursday that it had carried out negotiations with the FIFA ‌Bureau to allow [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/otamendi-nicolas/KSBVnX8R/"]Otamendi[/a] to play in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/argentina-f9OppQjp/honduras-fP8cJrsS/?mid=QgmZkEjC"]their first match[/a], after the defender was sent off in their final qualifying match against Ecuador in September.[/p][p]South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) president Alejandro Dominguez was also involved in the negotiations on behalf of Otamendi and Ecuador's midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/caicedo-moises/tIqaAkDs/"]Caicedo[/a] who was also sent off in the same match.[/p][image alt="Caicedo's stats this season" id="a74a1f38-b332-47b0-90d5-3bc40ee9c025" credit-line="StatsPerform via Opta" guid="29b8b74c-0059-4bba-9730-ec11b672437b" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo had already been cleared in November to play in the opening games at ‌the World Cup when FIFA suspended the final two games ​of a three-match ban for a red card in ‌his side's penultimate qualifying match against Ireland.[/p][p]At last weeks FIFA Council meeting in Vancouver, an amendment was made whereby single yellow cards at the World Cup will be cancelled after the group stage and then again after ⁠the quarter-finals.[/p][p]The World Cup, co-hosted ⁠by Canada, the U.S. ‌and Mexico, begins on June 11.[/p]