The International Football Association Board (IFAB) approved, during a special meeting in Vancouver, Canada, two new rules proposed by FIFA that will already be in effect at this year’s World Cup.
The measures are intended to punish with a straight red card players who cover their mouths to talk to opponents during confrontations and teams that walk off the pitch.
'Prestianni rule'
The rule against covering the mouth gained momentum and urgency after the serious incident in February in the Champions League involving Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni and Brazilian star Vinícius Júnior of Real Madrid.
On that occasion, the Argentine lifted his shirt to cover his face while speaking to the Brazilian, who accused Prestianni of calling him a "monkey."
Kylian Mbappé even confirmed that he heard the racist abuse directed at Vini in an interview after the match.
After a UEFA investigation, Prestianni was found guilty of homophobic conduct and suspended for six matches.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the new sanction as a measure with a strong deterrent effect.
"If you have nothing to hide, you don’t cover your mouth when you say something. It’s as simple as that," Infantino said. "If a player covers his mouth and says something that has a racist consequence, he obviously needs to be sent off. There must be a presumption that he said something he shouldn’t have," he added.
Despite the strict guideline, the issuing of a red card will remain entirely at the referee’s discretion, and the official must assess the circumstances at the time before making a decision.
Severe punishment for leaving the field
The second approved change targets extreme protests against refereeing decisions.
Players who leave the pitch in protest against a referee’s decision will be subject to a red card.
The rule also extends to any member of the coaching staff who incites players to abandon the match.
The change is a direct response to the controversial final of the last Africa Cup of Nations, between Morocco and Senegal.
In the final, the Senegal team even went to the locker room in protest against the awarding of a penalty.
The players eventually returned, Moroccan player Brahim Diaz missed the kick, and Senegal won the match 1-0.
However, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) intervened days later, stripping Senegal of the title and declaring Morocco the champion by forfeit (3-0).
With the new IFAB ruling validated for the World Cup, it is now established that any team that causes a match to be abandoned will, in principle, be punished with a forfeit defeat.
Full IFAB statement
"At a Special Meeting held in Vancouver, Canada, IFAB unanimously approved two amendments to the Laws proposed by FIFA to address discriminatory and improper behavior.
As agreed at IFAB’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in February, these decisions follow thorough consultations led by FIFA with all key stakeholders.
Players covering their mouths in confrontation situations with opponents.
At the competition organizer’s discretion, any player who covers their mouth in a confrontation with an opponent may be sanctioned with a red card.
Players leaving the field of play in protest against a referee’s decision.
At the competition organizer’s discretion, the referee may sanction with a red card any player who leaves the field of play in protest against a referee’s decision. This new rule will also apply to any team official (member of the coaching staff) who incites players to leave the field of play.
A team that causes a match to be abandoned will, in principle, lose the match.
These amendments will be communicated to the 48 participating teams in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in the coming weeks."
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
