The International Football Association Board (IFAB) unanimously approved two legislative changes proposed by FIFA to tackle discriminatory and inappropriate behavior at a special meeting in Vancouver, Canada on Tuesday.
“These changes will be implemented during the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, and all other competition organizers will be able to decide whether they want to implement the changes before they come into effect on July 1, 2026,” Gianni Infantino said on social media.
Firstly, at the discretion of the match organizer, any player who covers his mouth in a confrontation situation with an opponent may be punished with a red card.
The rule comes after Real Madrid player Vinícius Júnior accused Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni of racially abusing him while covering his mouth during a Champions League match in February.
Last week, UEFA handed Prestianni a six-match ban for the verbal abuse, which it said was homophobic in nature.
If Prestianni is selected for Argentina’s World Cup squad, he would have to sit out the defending champions’ first two matches this summer, although the ban could be appealed.
The second change concerns the prevention of players leaving the field mid-match.
«At the discretion of the match organizer, the referee may punish any player who leaves the field of play in protest against a referee’s decision with a red card. This new rule will also apply to any team official who urges players to leave the field of play,» the IFAB said in a statement.
“A team that causes a match to be abandoned will in principle lose the match.”
The change comes after the controversial African Cup of Nations final, in which most of Senegal’s players and staff left the field in protest at a penalty awarded against them.
Play resumed after a short break and Senegal won the match in extra time. However, FIFA later awarded the trophy to Morocco and punished Senegal for the strike.
Published on April 29, 2026
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