Paraguayan midfielder Miguel Almiron became the first player sent off under FIFA's newly introduced mouth-covering rule during the 2026 FIFA World Cup match against Turkiye on Saturday, June 20. The incident occurred in the 45th minute after a heated confrontation following a strong challenge from Hakan Calhanoglu on Isidro Pitta.
Almiron's Dismissal
The former Newcastle United star covered his mouth while speaking to Turkiye defender Mert Muldur. Muldur alerted referee Ivan Barton, prompting a VAR review that resulted in a straight red card. The dismissal came in a crucial group-stage match where both teams sought their first victory of the tournament.
Almiron's absence is expected to be a significant blow for Paraguay, as he is likely to miss their final group-stage match against Australia next Friday. Tensions remained high at halftime, with players and staff from both teams involved in confrontations before returning to their dressing rooms.
New Rule Explained
According to the Mirror, covering the mouth during confrontational situations became a red-card offence after approval at a special meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) in April. FIFA adopted the amendment for the 2026 World Cup as part of efforts to combat discriminatory and inappropriate behaviour.
IFAB describes the offence as players covering their mouths during confrontations with opponents and states: "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."
Background of the Rule
The rule change was influenced by previous incidents involving concealed comments during matches. One of the most notable cases involved Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni, who was accused of making offensive remarks while covering his mouth during an altercation with Vinícius Junior. Although Prestianni denied allegations of racial abuse, UEFA later sanctioned him for homophobic conduct, handing him a six-match suspension with three matches suspended.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino stated that players will face consequences for racist comments if they are caught covering their mouths. He said: "These amendments will be implemented at the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 and all other competition organisers will be able to decide whether to implement the changes before they enter into force on 1 July 2026."
UEFA had previously imposed a one-match ban on Prestianni before the final verdict, meaning he missed the second leg of the Real Madrid tie at the Santiago Bernabeu.
