Overview
- CONCACAF announced that any pending suspensions from the 2025 Gold Cup for Canada, Mexico and the United States must be served in their next friendly matches rather than during the 2026 World Cup.
- The policy covers red card send-offs and yellow-card accumulation in any Gold Cup match, including the ongoing semifinals and final.
- Under FIFA’s disciplinary code article 69.3, host nations whose next official fixture is the final tournament defer match suspensions to their next international friendly.
- Canada’s Jacob Shaffelburg, sent off for two cautions in the quarterfinal, will serve his ban in a September friendly in Romania and remain available for Canada’s World Cup opener.
- The FIFA exception supersedes CONCACAF’s usual rule that would carry unserved suspensions into the team’s next competitive match.