The 2026 World Cup witnesses the first expulsion for “covering the mouth”

The match between Paraguay and Turkey in the 2026 World Cup recorded the first expulsion of its kind in the history of the tournament, after the implementation of a new rule that allows referees to punish players who cover their mouths while talking to opponents.

Paraguay national team player, Miguel Almiron, was the hero of the incident, after he received the red card in the third minute of stoppage time in the first half, during his country’s match against Turkey in San Francisco.

The decision came while Paraguay was ahead by one goal without a response, after Almiron went towards the Turkish player Mert Muldor and addressed him with a few words, before the video assistant referee summoned the Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton to review the shot, after which he showed the red card in the face of the Paraguayan player.

Thus, Almiron became the first player to be expelled in the history of the World Cup for covering his mouth while talking to a rival player, in practical application of one of the new arbitration rules approved by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) before the start of the 2026 World Cup.

Paraguay opened the scoring early in the second minute, scoring one of the fastest goals in the tournament, before the match witnessed a remarkable turnaround with the historic expulsion.

Last April, FIFA announced that referees could now expel players who cover their mouths “in a confrontation with an opponent,” as part of tightening measures related to discriminatory behavior on the field.

The move came after an incident that sparked controversy in the Champions League, when Argentine Gianluca Pristiani, the Portuguese Benfica player, covered his mouth while talking to Brazilian Vinicius Junior, the Real Madrid striker, before he was later subjected to a six-match suspension, three of which were suspended, due to “discriminatory behavior.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino commented on the new rule by saying: “If you have nothing to hide, do not cover your mouth when you say something.”