FIFA confirmed new disciplinary rules on Tuesday for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, where players who cover their mouths during confrontations or walk off the pitch in protest will face red cards following approval at an IFAB meeting in Vancouver.
FIFA framed the mouth-covering rule as part of an anti-racism measure. “At the discretion of the competition organiser, any player covering their mouth in a confrontational situation with an opponent may be sanctioned with a red card,” FIFA said. The wording gives referees and organisers flexibility, which could lead to varied application across matches.
The decision follows an incident involving Gianluca Prestianni and Vinicius Junior during a Champions League match. Authorities accused Prestianni of using racist language while covering his mouth, although he denied the allegation and later received a ban for homophobic conduct. The rule targets concealment during verbal exchanges rather than specific language, which shifts enforcement towards visible behaviour.
FIFA also introduced a separate red card offence for players who leave the pitch in protest at refereeing decisions. The change directly addresses recent incidents where teams attempted to disrupt matches by walking off. It places responsibility on players to remain on the field regardless of disagreement.
FIFA confirmed an additional sanction linked to match abandonment. Teams that cause a game to be abandoned will forfeit the result, which strengthens deterrence against collective protest actions.
The governing body also adjusted suspension rules for the tournament. Yellow cards received in the group stage will be cleared after the first round and again after the quarter-finals. The change reduces the risk of players missing key matches due to accumulated cautions.
The rule changes follow controversy at the Africa Cup of Nations final, where Senegal’s players and staff left the pitch after a late penalty decision against Morocco. That incident led to Senegal losing the title despite winning the match, which underlines FIFA’s aim to prevent similar disruptions.
