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Players competing at this summer's World Cup could be shown a red card for covering their mouths during confrontations with opponents, following a change to football's rulebook.
The ruling emerged from a special session of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) convened in Vancouver. FIFA has since confirmed the updated regulation will take effect this summer across North America and Mexico.
Under the revised guidelines, referees will be empowered to issue a red card if a player intentionally covers their mouth while addressing an opponent or official during a heated exchange. The measure aims to tackle concerns that players may be attempting to conceal abusive or discriminatory language from cameras and match officials.
The ruling follows the controversy sparked by the high-profile incident involving Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni and Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior earlier this campaign.
Vinicius, Prestianni Incident Sparks Law Change
The matter of players obscuring their speech drew widespread attention earlier this year during February's Champions League knockout playoff tie between Benfica and Madrid.
During the contest at the Estadio da Luz, winger Prestianni was spotted pulling his shirt over his mouth while directing words at Real Madrid's No. 7.
Vinicius Jr responded to his opponent's remarks and alerted referee François Letexier, who made the crossed arms gesture to signal the activation of the racist abuse protocol.
Play was subsequently halted for 10 minutes before resuming, with Madrid ultimately claiming a 1–0 victory.
Prestianni, who denied any racist intent, was provisionally suspended for one match — Benfica's Champions League second leg against Madrid. Following a UEFA investigation, he was found guilty of homophobic conduct rather than racism, receiving a six-match ban, with three games suspended.
Infantino: 'Don't Cover Your Mouth If You Have Nothing to Hide'
The wider issue of mouth covering was examined by lawmakers IFAB and will now be enforced at the World Cup. Despite the new rule, the ultimate call will still rest with the referee, who will evaluate each situation on its own merits before producing a red card.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino stated the amendment is intended to serve as a deterrent against abusive behavior on the pitch.
"If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously," he said.
"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. If you do not have something to hide, you don't hide your mouth when you say something. That's it, as simple as that."
The new measures reflect a firmer stance from football's governing bodies as they seek to crack down on misconduct at the sport's highest level.
Separately, another rule amendment has been introduced to combat dissent, with players now risking dismissal if they walk off the pitch in protest of a referee's decision. The regulation follows contentious scenes at the Africa Cup of Nations final, when Senegal players stormed off the field in fury over a late penalty award.