IFAB APPROVES NEW RED CARD RULES AHEAD OF 2026 WORLD CUP
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Agency Report
Football’s law-making body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), has unanimously approved two new rule changes that could see players sent off for walking off the pitch in protest or covering their mouths during confrontations.
The decisions, announced in a statement published on FIFA’s official website on Tuesday, were reached at a Special Meeting held in Vancouver, Canada, following proposals by FIFA and consultations with key stakeholders.
Under the new rules, referees will have the discretion to issue a red card to any player who leaves the field of play in protest against an official’s decision. The sanction may also extend to team officials who incite such actions.
The IFAB added that any team responsible for causing a match to be abandoned would, in principle, forfeit the game.
“At the discretion of the competition organiser, the referee may sanction with a red card any player who leaves the field of play in protest at a referee’s decision.
“This new rule will also apply to any team official who incites players to leave the field of play. A team that causes a match to be abandoned will, in principle, forfeit the match,” the statement read.
The move follows the controversy that marred the Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat in January, when Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw instructed his players to walk off the pitch in protest after a late penalty was awarded to Morocco.
The incident halted the match for nearly 18 minutes, with CAF’s Appeal Board later stripping Senegal of the title and awarding Morocco a 3-0 walkover victory. The decision is currently being challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
In a separate amendment, IFAB said players who cover their mouths during confrontations with opponents could also face a red card, depending on the competition organiser’s discretion.
The body explained that the measure is aimed at addressing concerns over players concealing potentially discriminatory remarks from referees and cameras.
The issue gained global attention after Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni was investigated for allegedly directing a racial slur at Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior during a UEFA Champions League match in February.
IFAB noted that both rule changes had been flagged at its 140th Annual General Meeting in Hensol, Wales, earlier this year, before being finalised following FIFA-led consultations.
The amendments are expected to be communicated to all 48 teams participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on June 11 across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
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