Prestianni Law applied for first time as Almirón sees red card at 2026 World Cup

FIFA’s controversial new regulation, informally known as the Prestianni Law, has been enforced for the first time at the 2026 World Cup, with Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón receiving a straight red card for covering his mouth during a confrontation on the pitch.

What the Prestianni Law actually is

The rule allows match officials to issue a straight red card to any player who obscures their mouth during a confrontation with an opponent, on the presumption that the gesture is being used to hide discriminatory or abusive language from cameras and lip-readers.

The regulation traces its origins to a Champions League match in February 2026 between Benfica and Real Madrid. During that game, Argentine forward Gianluca Prestianni was accused of directing discriminatory language at Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior while deliberately covering his mouth to avoid detection. UEFA subsequently handed Prestianni a six-match ban, with three of those matches suspended, after determining the language used was homophobic in nature.

FIFA and the International Football Association Board, known as IFAB, formally approved the new rule in late April 2026. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been vocal in his support, advocating what he calls a “presumption of guilt” framework: if you cover your mouth during a confrontation, the referee doesn’t need to prove what you said. The act of covering itself becomes the offense.

The Almirón incident

Almirón, the former Newcastle United and Atlanta United midfielder, became the first player to be dismissed under the new regulation during a World Cup match. The Paraguayan was shown a straight red card after covering his mouth while engaged in a verbal exchange with an opponent.

Some reports have suggested the Almirón situation may have been complicated by a VAR error, with the incident potentially involving a yellow card for simulation rather than a direct application of the new mouth-covering rule. The distinction matters significantly for how this regulation is perceived going forward.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.