Miguel Almirón became the first player to be sent off for covering his mouth and speaking during an altercation when he was shown a red card in Paraguay’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D match against Türkiye on Friday.
He was sent off in the third minute of added time in the first half. Almirón and Türkiye right back Mert Müldür exchanged words following a foul near midfield. The Paraguayan midfielder covered his mouth while saying something to Mulder, who immediately appealed to Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton for punishment.
Barton went to video review and quickly ruled that Almirón would be given a red card.
The Atlanta United midfielder was dismissed following a new law passed by the International Football Association Board which states that “any player covering their mouth in a confrontational situation with an opponent may be sanctioned with a red card.”
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The rule had been brought in to stop potentially racist comments from being hidden from view, after a controversial incident involving Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni and Real Madrid‘s Vinícius Júnior in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League.
Per the new law, if the conversation is in a friendly context, players can cover their mouths. But as soon as there is any hint of confrontation, it’s an automatic red card.
Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro declined to comment on the red card decision, but admitted that at times during the match “it felt like everything was conspiring” against his team.
This is Paraguay’s third red card in FIFA World Cup history. The previous two were in 2002 (Carlos Paredes and Roberto Acuña). This is also the seventh red card this tournament, the most in a World Cup since 2014 (10).
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The match started with the fastest goal of the tournament, scored by Paraguay midfielder Matías Galarza with a long-range shot just 1:05 after the kickoff.
The goal proved to be the winner as 10-man Paraguay held on for a 1-0 victory, eliminating Türkiye from the World Cup.
ESPN’s Global Research Team contributed to this report.
