During the Matchday 2 fixture, where Paraguay face Turkiye at the 2026 World Cup, Miguel Almiron received a bizarre red card. In a crucial match for both national teams as each squad fights to secure its first three points in a highly contested group, one of Paraguay’s leaders made a catastrophic mistake.
Almiron was sent off in the 45th minute of the first half following a heated scuffle triggered by a hard Hakan Çalhanoglu foul on Isidro Pitta. As the match grew tense and players exchanged words, Almiron covered his mouth while speaking to Mert Muldur.
Under the new rules implemented for this tournament edition, a strict sanction is imposed on players who cover their mouths during an argument, not only with the referee but also with an opponent. If this action occurs, a straight red card is immediately shown.
Where did this new rule originate?
This entire new rule—for which the IFAB (International Football Association Board) unanimously approved two proposed amendments to the Laws of the Game to address discriminatory and inappropriate behavior—originated from an incident between Gianluca Prestianni and Vinicius Jr. during a match between Real Madrid and Benfica in the UEFA Champions League.
Miguel Almiron of Paraguay
In that match, Prestianni covered his mouth while speaking to Vinicius, who alleged he received a racist insult. However, because the statement could not be clearly verified, the investigation became complicated. The Argentine player was later hit with a six-match ban by UEFA, though it was ultimately for homophobic, rather than racist, insults.
The objective of this new regulation is to prevent similar situations from going unpunished due to a lack of visual or auditory evidence. Soccer’s governing bodies believe that if a player hides what they are saying, it is because the content is likely punishable, meaning the action itself will now be penalized. This is why Almiron is already one of the players sanctioned under it, happening on the sport’s most prestigious stage, the World Cup.
Furthermore, within the same package of measures, it was also approved to hand a red card to any players or coaching staff members who walk off the pitch in protest of officiating decisions.
