IFAB rules allow red cards for mouth-covering
IFAB approved optional rules letting organizers issue red cards for mouth-covering in disputes and for leading walk-offs after referee calls.
Mehmet Şahinoğlu ·
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has approved new optional rules that allow competition organizers to issue red cards in two specific conduct scenarios: when a player covers their mouth during a confrontation, and when a player or team official leads a team off the field in protest of a referee’s decision.
Officials said the changes are designed to address inappropriate behavior during matches and to give organizers clearer tools to respond to incidents that can escalate quickly on the pitch.
Red cards for covering the mouth during confrontations
Under the approved amendments, competition organizers now have discretion to sanction players who cover their mouths while involved in confrontations. The rule change is intended to deter behavior that can make it harder for match officials to manage disputes and assess what is being said during heated exchanges.
The decision follows an incident in which a player was accused of making racially abusive comments while obscuring his mouth. The new approach is meant to help organizers respond when mouth-covering is used in a way that is linked to misconduct allegations.
Sanctions for leading teams off the field in protest
IFAB also approved a measure allowing red cards for players or team officials who lead teams off the field to protest a referee’s decision. The amendment was influenced by a previous incident in which a team walked off during a final match.
By explicitly permitting dismissals in these circumstances, the rule change gives organizers a defined disciplinary option when a walk-off is used as a form of protest during a game.
Optional adoption, including for the World Cup
IFAB’s amendments are optional for competition organizers. That includes FIFA, which can choose whether to apply the changes for the upcoming World Cup.
Officials said all participating teams will be informed of the amendments. How the rules are implemented will depend on each competition’s organizers and their chosen disciplinary framework.