Infantino suggests players could be sent off for covering their mouths in confrontation

By: The Associated Press Posted: 7:49 PM CST Sunday, Mar. 1, 2026

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — FIFA president Gianni Infantino has raised the prospect of red cards being shown to players who cover their mouths when confronting opponents.

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CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — FIFA president Gianni Infantino has raised the prospect of red cards being shown to players who cover their mouths when confronting opponents.

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This article was published 01/03/2026 (233 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — FIFA president Gianni Infantino has raised the prospect of red cards being shown to players who cover their mouths when confronting opponents.

The issue has been highlighted in recent weeks after Real Madrid player Vinicius Junior said he was racially insulted by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during a Champions League match.

Prestianni, who denies the allegations, had approached Vinicius while covering his mouth with his jersey during Madrid’s 1-0 win in the first leg of the playoff match. He was provisionally suspended for the second leg while an investigation was being carried out.

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior argues after scoring the opening goal during a Champions League playoff soccer match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Rocha)

The issue of players covering their mouths was discussed on Saturday at a meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB).

Measures could come into force at this summer’s World Cup.

“If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously,” Infantino 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.

“I simply do not understand – if you don’t have something to hide, you don’t hide your mouth when you say something.

“That’s it, as simple as that. And these are actions that we can take and we have to take in order to be serious about our fight against racism.”