The highest governing body in world football established June 11th as the starting point for the application of a new disciplinary guideline on pitches across the planet. The measure, ratified together with the International Football Association Board (IFAB), strictly prohibits players from covering their mouths with their hands or shirts when talking to opponents or the referee team during matches.
The central objective of this regulatory change is to eliminate opacity in communications on the field, preventing discriminatory, racist or personal insults from being uttered without the possibility of identification or lip reading. The rule comes into force coinciding with the opening match of Copa of Mundo, hosted by América of Norte, marking a new standard of conduct for high-performance sport.
Penalties and application of the rule
The infraction will be dealt with immediately by the referee teams, who will receive specific guidance to identify the gesture as unsportsmanlike conduct. The presumption of the rule is that, by hiding words, the athlete may be saying something inappropriate or offensive, which justifies preventive disciplinary intervention.
Players who are caught covering their mouth during arguments or heated interactions will be automatically punished with a yellow card. The measure aims to discourage the habit, which has become common among professionals to avoid lip reading by television stations, but which also served as a shield for unpunished verbal attacks.
Fifa hopes that the threat of an immediate warning will change the athletes’ behavior, promoting an environment of greater respect and transparency. The application will be universal, valid for all teams participating in the tournament and, subsequently, for national leagues that adopt the guidelines of the international federation.
Origin of the measurement and the case Vinicius Junior
The new legislation gained traction behind the scenes under the informal nickname “Law Vinicius”, in reference to recent episodes involving the Brazilian striker and the need to combat systemic racism in football. The context for the accelerated approval of the rule refers to incidents in Champions League, specifically in the confrontation between Real Madrid and Manchester City.
During the European competition, there was an increase in the use of the mouth-covering gesture in moments of tension between players such as Vinicius Junior, Kyle Walker and Jude Bellingham. The entity interpreted these moments as blind spots in the supervision of the game, where abuses could occur without leaving visual evidence for later punishments.
Gianni Infantino, president of Fifa, has reiterated that transparency is fundamental to the integrity of sport. The ban aims to ensure that all on-field interactions are subject to scrutiny, eliminating zones of impunity for hate speech.
Impact on Copa of Mundo of 2026
The rule’s debut in the opening game of the 2026 Mundial symbolizes the organization’s commitment to zero tolerance for discrimination. The tournament, which will be held at México, Estados Unidos and Canadá, will serve as the great stage for the normalization of this conduct, requiring rapid adaptation from players and coaches.
In addition to punishment on the field, the measure facilitates the work of disciplinary committees post-game. With faces visible, high-definition cameras will be able to accurately capture what is said, allowing for additional and more severe sanctions if racist or homophobic insults are confirmed, complementing the existing three-step anti-discrimination protocol.
