RealGM

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -- FIFA has changed its rule on yellow-card amnesties at the World Cup to reduce the chances of big name players missing out on the July 11 final.

Germany's Michael Ballack in 2002, Italy's Alessandro Costacurta in 1994 and Argentina's Claudio Caniggia in 1990 are the best-known players to have missed World Cup finals after picking up second yellow cards in semis.

So for this tournament, world soccer's governing body has shifted its usual amnesty for yellow cards from the end of the first round until after the quarter-finals instead.

That means players would only miss the final if they receive two yellow cards -- or of course a straight red -- in a semi-final game, rather than in the past when they may have carried one yellow card going into a semi.