FIFA proposes automatic red cards for players covering mouths during on-pitch arguments
Rule change directly responds to Vinicius Junior racism incident against Benfica
FIFA considering reduced bans for players who show genuine remorse for discriminatory behavior
New rules to be implemented by April 2026 before the World Cup in June
📖 Full Retelling
FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced on March 1, 2026, that footballers who cover their mouths during on-pitch confrontations should be automatically sent off on the presumption they are making offensive remarks, a policy change directly responding to the racism incident involving Vinicius Junior in a recent Champions League match. The proposal comes after Real Madrid's Champions League match at the Estadio da Luz in Portugal was stopped for 11 minutes when Vinicius Junior reported racial abuse from Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni, who allegedly covered his mouth with his shirt while making the comments. Infantino emphasized that if a player covers their mouth while speaking and the comment has racist consequences, they must be sent off, establishing a presumption that they have said something inappropriate they wish to hide. The FIFA chief also revealed plans to potentially reduce the minimum 10-game ban for players who show genuine remorse for discriminatory behavior, aiming to encourage a cultural shift in football attitudes rather than simply accepting racism as 'a problem in society.' These changes, developed in collaboration with the International Football Association Board (IFAB), are scheduled to be implemented by April 2026, in time for the upcoming World Cup in June, as part of strengthened laws of the game.
🏷️ Themes
Racism in football, Rule changes, Player discipline
# UEFA Champions League
The **UEFA Champions League** (UCL) is an annual club football competition organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Contested by top-division European clubs, it is one of the most prestigious football tournaments in the world and the most prestigious c...
Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior (Brazilian Portuguese: [viˈni.sjuz ʒoˈzɛ pajˈʃɐ̃w̃ dʒi oliˈvej.ɾɐ ˈʒu.njoʁ]; born 12 July 2000), commonly known as Vinícius Júnior or Vini Jr., is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazil national t...
Giovanni Vincenzo Infantino (born 23 March 1970) is a football administrator and the president of FIFA since 2016. He has also been an International Olympic Committee member since 2020.
Following his initial election to the FIFA presidency on 26 February 2016, he was re-elected on 5 June 2019 and ag...
International governing body of association football
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA; lit. 'International Association Football Federation' or 'International Federation of Association Football') is an international self-regulatory governing body of association football, beach football, and futsal. It was founded on 21 May 19...
Footballers who cover mouths during on-pitch rows should be sent off, says FIFA boss Gianni Infantino is reacting swiftly to the racism reported by Vinicius Junior while playing for Real Madrid in the Champions League last month. Rob Harris Sports correspondent @RobHarris Sunday 1 March 2026 16:56, UK 2:54 Share The action comes in after Real Madrid's Champions League match at the Estadio da Luz in Portugal was stopped for 11 minutes after Vinicius Junior told the referee he suffered racial abuse from a Benfica player. Why you can trust Sky News FIFA's president has told Sky News that footballers who cover their mouths in confrontations with rivals should be sent off on the presumption they are being offensive. Gianni Infantino has also revealed a desire to reduce the minimum 10-game ban for players who are apologetic for discrimination to encourage a change of attitudes. But he told football to stop saying "it's a problem in society" and prioritise dealing with racism within the sport. Mr Infantino - along with rule-making body IFAB - is reacting swiftly to the racism reported by Vinicius Junior while playing for Real Madrid against Benfica in the Champions League on 17 February. 0:56 Share Real Madrid player reports racist abuse in Benfica match The case could be harder to prove because Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni covered his mouth with his shirt while allegedly abusing the Brazilian, who is one of football's most high-profile black players. "If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously," Mr Infantino, who is the boss of world football, told 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." More on Fifa Ukraine rallies Europe to block FIFA's push to reinstate Russia and end ban from international football After the crackdown: what is happening on the streets of Iran? FIFA boss Gianni Infantino ap...
