FIFA approves red card rule for players covering mouths after Vinicius Jr–Prestianni incident ahead of World Cup

The confrontation between Vinicius Junior and Gianluca Prestianni in the UEFA Champions League sparked significant controversy, ultimately resulting in a suspension for the Argentine forward. One of the lasting consequences of that episode is that FIFA, with less than two months until the 2026 World Cup, has now approved a new rule that would see players shown a red card for covering their mouths during confrontations with opponents.

The incident dates back to February, when Vinicius accused Benfica’s Prestianni of racial abuse. Because the young forward had covered his mouth during the exchange, UEFA was unable to gather sufficient evidence to substantiate the Brazilian’s claim. Prestianni was nonetheless sanctioned for “discriminatory conduct,” receiving a suspension that could extend to a maximum of six matches in the event of any further offense during his probation period.

On Tuesday, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body responsible for the laws of the game, convened a special meeting in Vancouver, Canada to consider several proposed rule changes, including one designed to prevent a repeat of the kind of incident seen in this season’s Champions League.

In a statement released following the meeting, FIFA outlined the new measure. “At the discretion of the competition organizer, any player covering their mouth in a confrontational situation with an opponent may be sanctioned with a red card,” the governing body confirmed.

As clarified in the statement, the rule will not apply in every situation where a player covers their mouth on the pitch, such as when speaking with a teammate or even an opponent in a non-confrontational context. The red card sanction will be reserved specifically for confrontational situations, though the precise role VAR will play in adjudicating these moments remains to be seen.

FIFA and IFAB stated that the measure was introduced to “address and conceal discriminatory and inappropriate behavior.” The governing body also confirmed that the new rules approved at Tuesday’s meeting will be in effect for the 2026 World Cup, meaning fans could see the regulation applied for the first time on soccer’s biggest stage.

What did Gianni Infantino say about players covering their mouths?

When the Vinicius-Prestianni incident first came to light, a number of high-profile voices weighed in on the matter. FIFA president Gianni Infantino was among the first to suggest that covering one’s mouth during a confrontation should carry severe consequences.

Speaking on Sky News in early March, Infantino made his position clear. “If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously. There must be a presumption that he has said something he shouldn’t have said, otherwise he wouldn’t have had to cover his mouth. Of course, when you deal with a disciplinary case, you have to analyze the situation, you have to have evidence, but we cannot just be satisfied with that going forward,” he said.

New rule implemented following AFCON episode

The most recent edition of the Africa Cup of Nations also contributed to Tuesday’s rule changes, after Senegal players walked off the field in protest following a penalty call that went in favor of Morocco, with some players apparently believing the decision meant the match had been awarded to their opponents despite winning the final 1-0. In response, FIFA and IFAB have introduced a new rule that will also result in a red card for any player who leaves the field of play in protest at a referee’s decision.

“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,” the FIFA statement read. Additionally, any team responsible for causing a match to be abandoned will, in principle, forfeit the game, with a 3-0 victory automatically awarded to the opposing side.