Why Moises Caicedo was angered by new World Cup one-minute injury rule that's coming to Premier League next season

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There have been a number of new rules introduced at the 2026 World Cup, among them a directive that players who receive medical treatment or cause the game to be stopped due to an injury must leave the field for one minute.

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The rule is intended to dissuade players from time-wasting and will also be used next season in the Premier League, where previously players only had to wait on the sidelines for 30 seconds before being allowed back on.

The extra 30 seconds appears that it might make a difference, based on Moises Caicedo’s angry reaction to being forced off for one minute in Ecuador’s defeat to Cote d'Ivoire at the World Cup.

The Chelsea midfielder went down in the box in the 20th minute when Ecuador had cleared a corner.

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Caicedo looked to have suffered an injury as he rolled on the floor several times, leading to referee Francois Letexier to blow his whistle to signal for play to stop.

Perhaps realising the implications of his actions, Caicedo quickly got to his feet as the referee approached and appeared fine to play on.

However, it was too late. Letexier informed Caicedo that he would have to leave the pitch for one minute because play had been stopped.

Caicedo looked angered by the decision and remonstrated with the referee. But it was to no avail and eventually he made his way off the pitch, appearing to swear at the referee as he did so.

Caicedo didn’t receive any treatment during his minute off, instead just standing on the sideline waiting for the time to elapse.

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As the time wore down he grew increasingly exasperated and started to signal and shout at the assistant referee before being allowed back on.

The one-minute rule was also enforced later in the game against Ecuador’s Joel Ordonez.

He went down in the box after blocking a shot and was told by the referee that he would need to go off the pitch for one minute.

Ordonez did so without complaint and received treatment from the medical team before returning to the pitch.

Ecuador boss laments 'unfair' defeat

Ecuador arrived at the World Cup having not lost a game since September 2024.

They hit the woodwork three times against Cote d'Ivoire before being undone by a late winner from Manchester United’s Amad Diallo.

"It hurts because it was ⁠an unfair defeat," said Ecuador head coach Sebastian Beccacece.

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"I think there are very strong arguments to clearly show that the team competed very well, had the clearest chances and could have won the match, but because of one detail at the end, we leave with nothing."

Ecuador will be hopeful of getting points on the board when they next play Curucao on June 21. They then finish their Group E campaign against Germany on June 25.

"When a team is clearly superior and doesn't take its chances, it gives the opponent the feeling that it is still alive," added Beccacece.

"I never felt they deserved ‌to win ⁠the match, but football is not about what you deserve. It's about taking your chances."

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