FIFA Disciplinary Code 2026
The May 2026 edition of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, adopted on 28 April 2026 and in force from 1 May 2026; for the first time, it provides for a reduction of the sanction for discrimination where the offender confesses.
| Adopted | 28 April 2026 — FIFA Council |
| In force from | 1 May 2026 |
| Structure | 76 articles + Annexe 1 |
| Status | Superseded — replaced by the January 2027 edition |
What is the FIFA Disciplinary Code?
The FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) defines disciplinary offences in football, determines the corresponding sanctions, and regulates the organisation and jurisdiction of FIFA's judicial bodies and the procedure before them. Its scope covers FIFA matches and competitions as well as offences that do not fall within the jurisdiction of the confederations or the national associations; national associations are also obliged to align their own disciplinary regulations with the principles of this document.
About the May 2026 editionChanges from September 2025
Under article 76, this document was adopted by the FIFA Council on 28 April 2026 and entered into force on 1 May 2026. The document's official title is the "May 2026 edition".
Principal changes from the previous edition
- Reduced sanctions for discrimination where the offender confessesFor the first time, it is provided that the competent judicial body may depart from the minimum sanctions prescribed for discrimination in two situations. The first — which did not exist in the previous edition — is where the player or official who committed the offence subsequently confesses to it, in which case up to half of the sanction may be suspended. The second is a commitment by the association or club to draw up a comprehensive anti-discrimination programme together with FIFA.
- Elaboration of the elements of the anti-discrimination programmeThe elements of the programme were made more explicit, and "partnerships" — cooperation with supporters, non-governmental organisations, experts and stakeholders to advise on and support the programme — was added, alongside the awareness campaign, stadium security measures and dialogue with supporters.
- Exception to replaying a match abandoned in protestIt was added that, as an exception, if a match is left unfinished because a team leaves the pitch in protest at a referee's decision, the match is not replayed, and the sanction is a forfeit together with any other disciplinary measure the judicial body deems appropriate.
- Express duty to disclose conflicts of interestIn the section on organisation and jurisdiction, it was added that members are obliged to disclose any circumstance that may give rise to such an objection.
Who this document matters to
Clubs and associations involved in international disciplinary proceedings, players and coaches subject to suspensions, and sports lawyers presenting a defence before the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and the FIFA Appeal Committee rely on the text of these regulations. In every case, the applicable edition is the one that was in force at the time the offence was committed — unless later regulations prescribe a more lenient sanction; for this reason, access to the text of earlier editions is of practical importance.