IFAB approves new red card amendments for mouth-covering and walk-offs ahead of World Cup
The International Football Association Board has passed rules allowing referees to issue red cards to players who cover their mouths during confrontations or leave the pitch in protest, a move driven by recent incidents of racial abuse and field walk-offs.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has approved amendments permitting referees to issue red cards to players who cover their mouths during confrontations or walk off the pitch in protest. These changes, which apply at the discretion of competition organisers, were passed ahead of the World Cup in North America following incidents of racial abuse and player walk-offs in recent tournaments.
The new framework specifically allows sanctions at the discretion of the competition organiser, such as FIFA, rather than enforcing universal mandates across all football bodies immediately. A further amendment explicitly permits officials to issue red cards to team officials who convince their players to walk off in protest. All 48 teams competing in the World Cup will be informed of these amendments in the coming weeks.
The reforms were influenced by a UEFA Champions League match where Gianluca Prestianni made racially abusive comments directed at Vinicius Junior while pulling his jersey up over his mouth. UEFA subsequently handed Prestianni a six-game ban for verbal abuse, though the specific nature of the insult remains contested. FIFA President Gianni Infantino also pushed for these changes following a heated Africa Cup of Nations final where Senegal walked off the field during stoppage time after Morocco was awarded a penalty.
The AFCON incident resulted in Senegal winning the title in extra time before being stripped of it by an appeals panel, with the case now pending at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. These governance shifts reflect a broader institutional response to on-field conduct, ensuring that the rules governing player behaviour are updated to address the specific controversies of the modern era.
The World Cup is scheduled to kick off on 11 June with Mexico facing South Africa in Mexico City. While the specific application of these rules will depend entirely on the discretion of individual competition organisers, the IFAB statement confirms that the amendments are designed to provide a clearer mechanism for addressing inappropriate behaviour during high-stakes matches.
