World Cup 2026 sees first historic red card for covering an opponent’s mouth

A first-of-its-kind incident at the 2026 World Cup took place on Saturday, when Paraguay star Miguel Almiron was sent off after a verbal clash with Turkey defender Mart Muldur and covering his mouth with his hands. The dismissal was made with the help of VAR under new FIFA rules introduced after a similar controversy involving Real Madrid’s Vinicius and Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, who covered his mouth with his shirt while directing insulting and racist remarks at the Brazilian.

Former referee Pierluigi Collina explained the logic behind the new interpretation. “If the conversation is friendly, they can continue doing it, covering the mouth, without any problem,” he said. “When it becomes a confrontation, covering the mouth means you are doing something very inappropriate, potentially, and the punishment is a red card.”

Almiron’s dismissal was the seventh red card shown at this World Cup, which is now entering the second round of the group stage. By comparison, only four red cards were issued in Russia 2018 and four again in Qatar 2022. The all-time record remains Germany 2006, when 28 red cards were shown.