Why wasn’t Jude Bellingham sent off for covering his mouth against Ghana?

England midfielder Jude Bellingham was not shown a red card despite appearing to cover his mouth during a conversation with Jordan Ayew against Ghana on June 23.

Bellingham’s actions caused some confusion as to why he was not shown a red card, despite new FIFA guidelines stating that players can be sent off for such an action.

Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron was the first player to break this rule, receiving a red card against Turkiye for covering his mouth during a confrontation for covering his mouth during a conversation with Mert Mulder after VAR review.

However, Bellingham was not shown a red card as his interaction with Ayew was not a confrontation but a friendly conversation. The criteria for a red card requires the player to specifically have his mouth covered during a confrontation, distinguishing the Almiron incident from the Bellingham incident.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino pushed for the new rule after Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni tried to cover up verbal insults towards Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior in a Champions League match.

The rule read: A player who covers his mouth with his hand, arm or shirt in confrontational situations will receive a red card. For example, players who cover their mouths while having friendly conversations with opposing teammates will not be punished.

Published on June 24, 2026