Pavel Kamantsev detailed FIFA's refereeing philosophy for the World Cup, stating: "A caution is a tool to keep the game within bounds. If you can avoid resorting to a caution, you don't issue it, to avoid future red cards and their discussions." The approach reflects a fundamental shift in how referees manage match discipline.
Referees receive explicit instruction that yellow cards should only be given when "absolutely obvious and necessary for game control." The reduction in disciplinary cards across the tournament is not coincidental but a deliberate FIFA directive aimed at minimizing referee impact on match results.
Kamantsev explained: "Referees are told that their influence on the game and the final result should be minimal. Therefore, a yellow card is given when it is absolutely obvious and necessary for control of the play. This trend is set by FIFA." Such standardization is communicated through instructor coordinators including FIFA specialists like Mažić and Čakir.
This refereeing evolution affects match markets and betting odds by reducing accumulating discipline suspensions and altering the traditional card metrics that influence team performance and availability for subsequent matches.