Paraguay’s match against Turkey on Saturday morning opened with a goal in the 65th second, but the most notable moment came deep in first-half stoppage time. In the 45+3 minute, Paraguay star Miguel Almiron was shown a straight red card and became the first player ever dismissed under a new rule in this World Cup.
The sending-off came after an argument on the pitch. Almiron covered his mouth while speaking to a Turkish player, a common tactic in modern football to hide words from lip readers and cameras. Turkey immediately alerted the referee, the VAR team reviewed the incident, and the referee sent off Paraguay’s number 10 for what officials deemed an attempt to conceal abusive or otherwise serious language.
The tournament is enforcing a strict new rule that bans players from covering their mouths during confrontations or fights on the field. If referees and VAR believe the gesture is used to hide insults or harsh remarks, it can lead to an immediate red card. The rule has been nicknamed the “Prestiani rule,” after a previous incident involving Benfica midfielder and Vinicius Junior.
Almiron’s dismissal also reflects FIFA’s tougher disciplinary approach at the 2026 World Cup. It was the seventh red card shown in the tournament so far, already the highest total for any World Cup since Brazil 2014, when 10 players were sent off across the entire competition. The group stage is still only in its second round.
