Unlike World Cup, UEFA will not give straight red for covered mouths | OneFootball

UEFA confirmed in a statement that covering the mouth will not, by itself, result in an automatic red card in its competitions, a departure from how the law has been applied at the 2026 World Cup.

Referees will decide sanctions on a case-by-case basis. If they judge a player is concealing communication, it can be deemed unsporting behaviour punishable by a yellow card, and incidents may still face disciplinary review.

At the World Cup, two players have already been sent off for addressing an opponent while covering their mouths.

Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron was the first, against Türkiye.

Ecuador’s Piero Hincapié was the second, during a 2-0 defeat to Mexico in the last 16 on Wednesday night.

Source: L'Équipe