The FIFA World Cup 2026 is shaping up to be the most card-heavy tournament in the competition's history — and for two very distinct reasons: a sweeping new disciplinary rule and a dramatically larger fixture list.

The mouth-covering red card rule

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has ratified a new law that allows referees to issue an automatic red card to any player who covers their mouth while arguing with an opponent. FIFA, which holds half of IFAB's voting rights and will organise the tournament, confirmed it will enforce the rule throughout World Cup 2026.

The regulation was introduced in direct response to a high-profile incident in the UEFA Champions League, in which Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni was accused of racially abusing Real Madrid and Brazil forward Vinicius Jr. Prestianni denied the racial abuse allegation, but admitted to making a homophobic comment and was banned for six matches — three of them suspended for two years. Crucially, the incident could not be resolved through lipreading because Prestianni had covered his mouth with his shirt.