Two significant amendments to the current legislation controlling occurrences during football games have been unanimously adopted by the International Football Association Board (IFAB).
Red cards for players who cover their mouths during on-field altercations and for players who leave the field in protest of the referee’s rulings are the two modifications.
These decisions were made at the body’s special meeting in Vancouver, Canada on Tuesday in response to suggestions made by FIFA, the world football governing body, to deal with inappropriate and discriminatory behavior.
Gianluca Prestianni, a midfielder for Benfica, covered his mouth with his shirt while abusing Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr., who claimed racist abuse. However, the Argentine was eventually charged with dismissal for such incidents in February, and IFAB’s approval—which came after extensive FIFA-led consultations—grants both FIFA’s and Prestianni’s wish.
The referee alone has the authority to decide whether to remove someone, according to the IFAB’s statement.
“Any player who covers their mouth in a combative situation with an opponent may receive a red card at the competition organizer’s discretion.
In a same vein, IFAB gave the referee the authority to determine whether to dismiss players and officials who leave the field in protest at the umpire’s call.
Senegal left the field in protest during the AFCON 2025 final and returned after 15 minutes. They won the AFCON championship, but it has been revoked while an appeal is pending.
“Any player who leaves the field of play in protest of a referee’s decision may receive a red card at the discretion of the competition organizer. Any team official who encourages players to abandon the field of play will also be subject to this new regulation.
Teams that cause matches to be abandoned will forfeit the match, according to IFAB.
The IFAB has promised that participating countries would be informed of the revised new guidelines “in the coming weeks.” The new laws will go into force during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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