A photograph of England midfielder Jude Bellingham covering his mouth while speaking to Ghana's Jordan Ayew sparked debate during England's goalless draw in Boston.
Under a new rule introduced for the 2026 World Cup, players can be sent off for covering their mouths during confrontational exchanges with opponents. The regulation was brought in after incidents involving abusive language and discriminatory remarks, with FIFA aiming to improve transparency on the pitch.
However, simply covering one's mouth is not an offence.
FIFA's head of referees, Pierluigi Collina, clarified before the tournament that players are still free to cover their mouths during normal conversations with teammates or opponents.
The key factor is intent. If the exchange is friendly or routine, there is no violation. A red card only applies when a player covers their mouth while engaging in a heated confrontation or attempting to conceal inappropriate comments.
In Bellingham's case, match officials and VAR determined there was no evidence of a confrontational exchange, meaning there were no grounds for disciplinary action. As a result, the England star avoided the fate of Paraguay's Miguel Almiron, who became the first player sent off under the new rule at the weekend.
