“Any player covering his mouth during a confrontation with an opponent may be sanctioned with a red card” and excluded from the field, FIFA wrote in a press release on Tuesday. This rule, which aims to stem racist excesses, will be introduced during the World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico, from June 11 to July 19.

Published on: 04/28/2026 - 11:38 p.m.

No more low masses. Any player covering his mouth during a verbal altercation with an opponent will be punished with a red card from next summer's World Cup, Fifa decided on Tuesday April 28 in order to stem racist excesses.

Following a meeting in Vancouver of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the guardian of football rules, Fifa clarified that this rule was part of two changes to the laws of the game which will be introduced during the World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico, from June 11 to July 19.

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“Any player covering his mouth during a confrontation with an opponent may be sanctioned with a red card” and excluded from the field, FIFA wrote in a press release.

Red card against players leaving the field

This new rule follows the controversy sparked in February, when Benfica's Argentinian winger Gianluca Prestianni was accused of having uttered racist insults while covering his mouth against Brazilian Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr during a Champions League match. Prestianni denied any racist remarks but received a six-match suspension, three of which were suspended.

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Another change to the laws of the game, adopted on Tuesday, provides for a red card against players leaving the field to protest a refereeing decision.

This measure comes after the outcry during the African Cup of Nations final earlier this year, when Senegal players, coach Pape Thiaw and his staff left the field in Rabat after a penalty was awarded to Morocco in added time.

Senegal then won the final after extra time but were stripped of their title by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), a shock decision contested before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

With AFP

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