FIFA World Cup 2025: Players Who Cover Mouths or Leave Pitch in Protest Risk Red Card Under New IFAB Rules

Two significant rule changes are set to reshape player conduct at this summer’s FIFA World Cup, after the International Football Association Board (IFAB) approved a pair of law amendments during a special meeting held in Vancouver, Canada, on Tuesday.

The first change targets players who cover their mouths when speaking to opponents during on-field confrontations. Under the new rule, referees have the discretion to issue a red card in such situations, with all circumstances considered before any decision is made. The second amendment addresses players who leave the pitch in protest at a referee’s decision — a scenario that attracted global attention following the Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal.

Both amendments have been classified as competition opt-ins by IFAB, and FIFA has confirmed they will be implemented at the upcoming World Cup.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino was outspoken in his support for the mouth-covering sanction, stating he wanted a measure with “a deterrent effect.” Speaking on the matter, Infantino said: “If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously. There must be a presumption that he has said something he shouldn’t have said, otherwise he wouldn’t have had to cover his mouth. If you do not have something to hide, you don’t hide your mouth when you say something. That’s it, as simple as that.”

The rule was prompted in part by a high-profile incident in February, when Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni raised his shirt over his mouth while addressing Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr during a UEFA Champions League fixture. The Argentina international was initially provisionally banned for one match on suspicion of racist abuse. A subsequent UEFA investigation concluded that Prestianni was found guilty of homophobic conduct, resulting in a six-match ban — three of which were suspended.

The incident was subsequently discussed at IFAB’s annual general meeting held in Wales later that month, where members agreed to reconvene ahead of this week’s FIFA Council in Vancouver to finalise a response.

Vinicius Jr has been at the centre of racism-related controversies throughout his career at Real Madrid, with reports citing at least 20 cases of alleged racist abuse directed at the Brazilian international over an eight-year period at the club.

The pitch abandonment rule was equally prompted by events at the Africa Cup of Nations final. During that match, Senegal’s players left the field and retreated to their changing rooms in protest at a penalty awarded to Morocco. Upon their return, Morocco’s Brahim Diaz attempted a Panenka-style chip that was caught by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, and Senegal ultimately won the match 1-0.

However, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) subsequently stripped Senegal of the title and awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory. The episode underscored the need for a formal regulatory response, which the new IFAB rule now provides.

Under the updated law, the red card sanction for pitch abandonment will extend to any team official found to have incited players to leave the field. Furthermore, any team responsible for causing a match to be abandoned will, in principle, forfeit that fixture.

With the World Cup approaching, these changes carry immediate practical implications. Referees will bear considerable responsibility in applying the mouth-covering rule consistently, given that the decision rests entirely at their discretion and must account for all relevant circumstances. The regulations represent part of a broader set of amendments being introduced for the tournament, which also includes a wider VAR scope and a yellow card amnesty for the group stage.