World Cup 2026 players who cover mouths or leave pitch in protest may be red carded

The International Football Association Board (Ifab) has approved new regulations ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which begins in June, stating that any player who covers their mouth when confronting an opponent or leaves the pitch in protest at a refereeing decision will receive an automatic red card. The rule change was confirmed ahead of Thursday's FIFA Congress in Vancouver but has not been mandated for other competitions outside the World Cup. The decision follows controversies involving incidents such as the Prestianni case and the Africa Cup of Nations final.