Bellingham spared red card as referees distinguish friendly chat from confrontation
FIFA’s head of referees clarifies that covering the mouth is only an offence during confrontational exchanges, distinguishing England’s midfielder from Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron, who was the first player sanctioned under the rule.
England midfielder Jude Bellingham avoided a red card after covering his mouth while speaking to Ghana’s Jordan Ayew during a 0-0 draw in Boston, as referees determined the interaction was a friendly conversation rather than a confrontation. The incident occurred under a new 2026 World Cup regulation introduced at the request of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, which permits referees to send off players who conceal their mouths during confrontations with opponents.
The regulation was implemented following a six-match ban issued by UEFA to Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni for homophobic conduct towards Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr in February. While the rule is designed to enforce respect and transparency, FIFA’s head of referees, Pierluigi Collina, clarified that covering the mouth is not banned in isolation. He stated that players can cover their mouths during friendly chats with friends or opponents, noting that it is only an offence if done during a confrontational exchange.
Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron became the first player to be penalised under this rule during a heated melee against Turkey. The video assistant referee advised a red card for Almiron covering his mouth while speaking to Turkey’s Mert Muldur, an incident that occurred amidst tension following a challenge by Turkey’s Ismail Yuksek on Paraguay’s Isidro Pitta. Almiron received a one-match ban and will miss Paraguay’s final group game against Australia, a match both teams likely need a point from to reach the knockout stages.
In contrast, the interaction between Bellingham and Ayew took place while the match was relatively calm, with no animosity between the players. Referees distinguished this from the Almiron case, where the game was in a heated situation and the opponent immediately flagged the incident to an assistant referee. Infantino emphasised the importance of the rule, stating that if a player has nothing to hide, they should not cover their mouth when speaking to someone, though he acknowledged the rule is an opt-in measure for competitions.
There are concerns regarding the reliability and consistency of the law, with suggestions that it could be exploited by players to get opponents sent off. Domestic leagues have not yet adopted this rule, and its future adoption is uncertain due to difficulties in consistent application and potential for abuse. As of now, the regulation is only being implemented at the World Cup 2026, with its long-term viability remaining in question.
