FIFA has approved new regulations for the 2026 World Cup that could see players receive a straight red card for covering their mouths during confrontations with opponents or leaving the pitch in protest at a refereeing decision. The changes, confirmed by the International Football Association Board (Ifab) ahead of Thursday's FIFA Congress in Vancouver, will take effect at the tournament starting in June.
Background to the Rule Changes
The decision follows two high-profile incidents. In February, Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior accused Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni of racially abusing him while covering his mouth with his shirt. Prestianni later admitted to making homophobic comments and received a six-match ban from UEFA. Additionally, the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations final was marred when several Senegal players walked off the pitch after a late penalty decision, leading to a lengthy delay and eventual win for Senegal in extra time.
Details of the New Regulations
Ifab stated: "At the discretion of the competition organiser, the referee may sanction with a red card any player who leaves the field of play in protest at a referee's decision. This new rule will also apply to any team official who incites players to leave the field of play. A team that causes a match to be abandoned will, in principle, forfeit the match." The covering of the mouth rule targets players who hide their speech to potentially make abusive remarks without being overheard.
Importantly, Ifab has not mandated these rules for other competitions, leaving it to individual organisers to decide whether to adopt them.
Concerns from European Leagues
European domestic leagues have raised objections to the automatic red card for leaving the pitch, citing the possibility that a player may have suffered racist abuse and leaves in distress. The issue of covering mouths is also linked to racist abuse, as seen in the Prestianni-Vinicius incident. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has led calls for a clampdown on such behaviour.
Infantino also pushed for harsher punishments after the controversial Afcon final. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) appeal board later overturned the result, awarding the game to Morocco, but Senegal has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Impact on the 2026 World Cup
These new protocols aim to maintain order and respect on the pitch, but they also raise questions about how officials will handle situations involving potential abuse. The World Cup in 2026 will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and will feature 48 teams for the first time.
