FIFA/IFAB Announces Two New Red Card Rules for World Cup 2026 — Mouth-Covering and Pitch Walkout

FIFA and IFAB announced two sweeping new disciplinary rules for the 2026 World Cup at a special meeting held in Vancouver on April 28, ahead of the FIFA Council vote the following day. First, players who cover their mouths while speaking to opponents in a confrontational manner — as seen in the Benfica/Prestianni–Vinicius Jr. Champions League incident — may be shown a red card at the competition organizer's discretion. Second, players who leave the field of play to protest a referee's decision face immediate dismissal; teams that walk off could be declared losers if the match is subsequently abandoned — a response to Senegal's controversial walkout in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final. The rules were jointly drafted by FIFA and IFAB and proposed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who argued they reinforce referee authority and protect players from abuse. Critics questioned whether the rules would be applied consistently across 48 teams from diverse footballing cultures and called the short notice — six weeks before kickoff — inadequate for player and coach preparation. The full FIFA Council was scheduled to vote on the rules on April 29.