Controversy at World Cup: new rules

What's happened

FIFA has enforced new on-field rules at the 2026 World Cup that have provoked disputes: Miguel Almirón has received the tournament's first red card for covering his mouth, broadcasters and fans have criticised mandatory three-minute hydration breaks, and a VAR official was investigated over a hand gesture but cleared. Players, coaches and commentators are publicly divided.

What's behind the headline?

What is actually changing

FIFA has introduced a set of conduct and match-management measures that are changing how games are played and broadcast. The mouth-covering rule gives referees the option to issue a red card when a player conceals speech during confrontations. The hydration breaks force a four‑quarter rhythm on matches by adding two mandatory three‑minute pauses per game, regardless of temperature. Broadcasters are using those pauses for adverts.

Who gains and who loses

• FIFA will gain control over uniform application of the rules and will capture new broadcast inventory that will increase revenue.
• Coaches and televised pundits are gaining tactical moments to regroup; managers are already using breaks to alter momentum.
• Players risk harsher punishment for habitual behaviour; Miguel Almirón has lost availability for Paraguay after the first enforcement.
• Fans lose continuous action and some viewers have missed live moments when broadcasters cut to adverts.

Why this is happening now

The changes sprang from two pressure points. UEFA disciplinary action in a Champions League incident prompted IFAB to approve the mouth‑covering option. Concerns about extreme heat and a desire for consistent application across venues prompted FIFA to mandate hydration breaks. Both moves have visible commercial and governance consequences.

Likely consequences

• Referees will apply the mouth‑covering option unevenly at first; this will produce further expulsions and appeals and will force federations to issue clarifying guidance.
• Coaches will continue to use hydration breaks tactically; match patterns will shift toward bursts of high intensity separated by planned regrouping.
• Broadcasters will monetise the pauses; networks will sell ad slots and will sometimes cut away from live action, which will fuel fan anger and complaints to rights holders.

Forecast

The rule roll‑out will force FIFA to publish clearer enforcement guidance and exceptions to limit unintended expulsions. Broadcasters and rights holders will negotiate ad windows more tightly; some competitions will experiment with keeping TV feeds live during breaks to reduce fan backlash. The net effect will be a faster cycle of rule clarifications and commercial negotiations over the next months.

How we got here

IFAB gave competition organisers the option to sanction players who cover their mouths in confrontations. FIFA has applied that option at the 2026 World Cup and also introduced mandatory three-minute hydration breaks in every half, prompting debate about player welfare, competitive fairness and commercial motives.

Our analysis

Several outlets have focused on different aspects of the story. Al Jazeera has emphasised disciplinary and team consequences, reporting that Miguel Almirón was sent off and that FIFA confirmed he will miss Paraguay’s final group game because the decision is not subject to appeal. Al Jazeera quoted Gianni Infantino backing the mouth‑covering rule: "This thing about covering the mouth is for us a very, very important rule... It's about respect." The BBC has framed the hydration breaks as controversial and linked them to wider public interest in hydration technology, quoting experts such as Andreas Flouris: "Hydration is a key issue." The Guardian and Al Jazeera have both recorded coaches' and pundits' annoyance: The Guardian noted coaches using the breaks tactically and warned the changes "massively alter" the game, while Al Jazeera reported players like Virgil van Dijk and Youri Tielemans questioning universal application. SBS and the Independent highlighted player views supporting the mouth‑covering ban, citing Jackson Irvine: "If you can't be seen saying it, then it shouldn't be said." On a separate thread, multiple outlets (SBS, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, AP) covered the VAR official Shaun Evans: Fare called for his removal after he appeared to make an "OK" sign; FIFA's independent disciplinary committee later said it had "found no evidence of breaches of the FIFA disciplinary code," and Evans said the gesture was an involuntary twitch. Read Al Jazeera for the disciplinary and political stakes, the BBC for the public‑health framing, and The Guardian for coaching and broadcasting perspectives.

Go deeper

• Will FIFA publish clearer guidance on when mouth‑covering merits a red card?
• Will broadcasters change how they handle hydration breaks to keep live action on screen?

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