Almiron first player to be ejected for covering mouth while speaking to opponent
Before Almiron's red at the fag end of the first half, Paraguay were leading Turkey 1-0 after a Matias Galarza strike in just the 65th second of the match.
Paraguay's Miguel Almiron reacts after received a red card during the World Cup Group D soccer match against Turke in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron became the first casualty of FIFA’s new rule when he was sent off by the referee during the Turkey vs Paraguay match for covering his mouth during a verbal exchange with a Turkish player. Before Almiron’s red at the fag end of the first half, Paraguay were leading Turkey 1-0 after a Matias Galarza strike in just the 65th second of the match. Paraguay would hold onto the slender lead, eventually winning the match 1-0 and eliminated Turkey from the World Cup.
The new rule empowers referees to eject players who hide their mouths during run-ins with opponents. The International Football Association Board’s (IFAB) Law 12 stipulates a straight red card for players “using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or action(s)”. Referees rely on what they hear, their assistants and the video assistant referee’s (VAR) inputs, as well as players’ reactions and the context of the incident.
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