Miguel Almiron has become the first player sent off under FIFA’s newly introduced mouth-covering rule at the 2026 World Cup.
The Paraguay international was dismissed during his team’s group-stage meeting with Turkey after appearing to cover his mouth while speaking to opponent Mert Mulder.
Paraguay had made the perfect start in San Francisco, finding the net just two minutes into the contest, but their advantage was complicated before the break when Almiron was shown a red card.
The former Premier League player placed his hand over his mouth during the exchange, prompting Mulder to alert the nearby official.
The referee was then instructed to check the incident on the VAR monitor, and after reviewing it, chose to send Almiron off.
FIFA brought in the rule earlier this year, and this tournament is the first time it has been enforced at a World Cup. Under the regulation, any player who covers their mouth during a “confrontational situation” can be shown a red card.
“If it is a friendly conversation, they can continue to do it without any problem,” FIFA referee chief Pierluigi Collina explained in June.
“We respect that there are players who are friends and it is normal to chat before, during or after the match. When it is confrontational, it is a completely different story. Covering the mouth means you are doing something potentially very wrong.
“This is something you do on purpose. It is not something that a player can do instinctively.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino had also previously defended the policy while speaking to Sky News.
“There must be a presumption that he has said something he shouldn’t have said, otherwise he wouldn’t have had to cover his mouth.
“I simply do not understand if you don’t have something to hide, you don´t hide your mouth when you say something. That’s it, as simple as that.”
The law change was approved at a special International Football Association Board meeting in Vancouver in April, following controversy from a Champions League game in February.
That earlier flashpoint involved Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, who was accused of racist abuse after lifting his shirt over his mouth while talking to Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr.
Prestianni rejected the accusation, while Benfica said the player had been targeted by a “defamation campaign”. He was later found guilty of homophobic conduct and handed a six-match ban.
In Almiron’s case, there has been no indication that he said anything improper.
After Paraguay went on to beat Turkey despite playing with 10 men for much of the match, Almiron posted a message on Instagram praising his teammates.
“I want to thank my teammates for their effort today, giving their all for every ball. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It’s an honor to be part of this team,” he wrote.