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Ecuador defender Piero Hincapie became the second player at the 2026 World Cup to be sent off for covering his mouth while confronting an opponent, during his side's 2-0 loss to Mexico. The red card was issued after VAR review, following a new FIFA rule targeting confrontational interactions.
England's Jude Bellingham was not sent off for covering his mouth while speaking to Ghana's Jordan Ayew because the conversation was friendly, not confrontational. FIFA's new rule, which can result in a red card for hiding the mouth during confrontations, was applied differently in Bellingham's case compared to Paraguay's Miguel Almiron, who was sent off in a heated situation.
Belgium's Nathan Ngoy received a red card for fouling Iran's Mehdi Taremi, leaving his team with 10 men.
