Why Bellingham avoided red card for covering mouth at World Cup

England midfielder Jude Bellingham escaped a red card during Tuesday's 0-0 draw against Ghana in Boston, despite a new FIFA rule that allows referees to send off players who cover their mouths while speaking to opponents. The incident, which saw Bellingham covering his mouth while talking to Ghana's Jordan Ayew, sparked debate after Paraguay's Miguel Almiron became the first player to be sent off for the same offence at the weekend.

Context is key

The rule, introduced for the 2026 World Cup, was requested by FIFA President Gianni Infantino following an incident in February where Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni received a six-match ban from UEFA for homophobic conduct towards Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr during a Champions League match. The regulation targets confrontational conversations, not casual chats.

Before the tournament, FIFA's head of referees, Pierluigi Collina, clarified the rule. "Players can continue to cover their mouth with an arm and the shirt because they may chat with friends," Collina said. "It's normal to chat before, during or after the match. So if the conversation is a friendly conversation, they can continue to do it without any problem. When the conversation is confrontational, covering the mouth means that you are doing something very wrong, potentially, and the sanction is the red card."

Why Bellingham's case was different

Throughout the World Cup, players and even referees have been seen covering their mouths while talking. The key factor in Bellingham's case was the absence of animosity. Bellingham and Ayew were simply having a friendly chat, with no confrontation or heated context.

In contrast, Almiron's red card occurred during a melee between Paraguay and Turkey players after a challenge by Turkey's Ismail Yuksek on Paraguay's Isidro Pitta. Almiron, though not directly involved in the pushing, covered his mouth while speaking to Turkey's Mert Muldur in a tense situation. The video assistant referee (VAR) advised a red card, and Almiron was dismissed.

Infantino defends the rule

Infantino defended the rule following Almiron's dismissal, stating, "This thing about covering the mouth is for us a very, very important rule. It's about respect. It's about the example that we should give. If you have nothing to hide, you don't cover your mouth when you speak to somebody. The rules have been made very clear to everyone."

Potential for abuse

However, questions remain about the rule's reliability. There is a possibility that players could exploit it to get opponents sent off. In Almiron's case, Muldur immediately turned to highlight the gesture to an assistant referee, even though Almiron did not appear aggressive. Almiron received a one-game ban and will miss Paraguay's final group match against Australia, where both teams likely need a point to reach the last 32. The ban could have been longer if evidence of abusive language existed.

The new law is optional for competitions, and so far, only the World Cup has implemented it. The difficulty in ensuring consistent application and the potential for abuse may prevent domestic leagues from adopting it.