Overview
- On Saturday, June 20, Miguel Almirón was shown a straight red after he covered his mouth while speaking to Turkey’s Mert Muldur, making him the first player at the 2026 World Cup dismissed under the new rule.
- Referee Ivan Barton consulted the pitchside VAR monitor before issuing the red card, and the automatic suspension means Almirón will miss Paraguay’s final group match against Australia.
- Paraguay managed to hold a 1-0 lead and win the match despite playing the second half with ten men, a result that eliminated Turkey from Group D and kept Paraguay’s hopes of advancing alive.
- The rule was approved by the International Football Association Board in April following the Prestianni–Vinícius Champions League episode and is designed to deter players from hiding potentially abusive language by covering their mouths; FIFA and IFAB say it applies to confrontational situations and not to friendly exchanges.
- The incident has prompted discussion among coaches, players and referees about habit, fairness and the rule’s effect on match flow and VAR reliance, and officials will be watched for how strictly they apply the law going forward.