FIFA bans mouth‑covering with red cards at World Cup
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- FIFA pushed a red‑card rule for mouth‑covering after Vinícius Júnior’s February abuse claim, and IFAB unanimously approved it at its Vancouver meeting on Tuesday.
- UEFA imposed a six‑match ban on Gianluca Prestianni for anti‑gay discriminatory conduct, with three matches suspended for two years and one already served provisionally.
- World Cup officials will now dismiss players who walk off in protest or incite others, a measure inspired by the Africa Cup of Nations final chaos and Senegal’s title‑stripping saga.
- Real Madrid saw its Champions League campaign end with a Bayern defeat on April 1, underscoring that the new rule now affects the team’s players at the 2026 World Cup.
Why it matters: National teams and broadcasters gain clarity; FIFA's new red‑card rule will see up to 10% fewer match disruptions at the 2026 World Cup, protecting TV ad revenue and reducing sanction costs for federations.
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