FIFA has announced two significant rule changes that will take effect at this summer's World Cup, targeting racist abuse on the pitch and players who abandon matches in protest. The measures were confirmed on Tuesday following a meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) in Vancouver, where football's global governing body gathered ahead of the FIFA Congress — the final major assembly before the tournament kicks off across Canada, Mexico and the United States in June.
The most high-profile change makes it a red-card offence for any player to cover their mouth during a confrontational situation with an opponent. The rule was prompted by an incident in February involving Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni, who was accused of directing racial slurs at Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior during a Champions League match while shielding his mouth. Prestianni denied the allegations but was subsequently banned for six matches by UEFA — not for racism, but for homophobic conduct. FIFA President Gianni Infantino had publicly backed the law change, arguing that covering one's mouth while speaking to an opponent creates a clear presumption of wrongdoing. "If you do not have something to hide, you don't hide your mouth when you say something," Infantino told British broadcaster Sky News last month. The rule will be applied at the referee's discretion.
The second change targets walk-off protests, allowing referees to issue a red card to any player who leaves the field in protest at an officiating decision. Team officials who incite players to do so will face the same sanction, and any side that causes a match to be abandoned will forfeit the game. The rule was shaped in part by events at the Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat, Morocco, in February, when Senegal's players, head coach Pape Thiaw and his staff walked off the pitch after Morocco were controversially awarded a late penalty. Senegal ultimately won the match 1-0 in extra time, but were stripped of the title last month by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a result of the walkout.
FIFA also confirmed a change to the yellow-card amnesty system for the World Cup. Under previous tournaments, accumulated bookings were wiped after the quarter-finals; this year, players will also receive a clean slate after the group stage, reducing the risk of suspensions carrying into the knockout rounds.
The rule changes reflect a broader effort by football's governing bodies to address longstanding issues around racism and sporting integrity. With the World Cup just weeks away, their real-world application — particularly the subjective judgement required for the mouth-covering rule — will be closely watched by players, coaches and officials worldwide.