Socceroos midfielder Jackson Irvine has backed FIFA's new red-card rule for mouth-covering, implemented at the 2026 World Cup to prevent unseen confrontational behavior and offensive language between players. The rule was applied for the first time when Paraguay winger Miguel Almirón received a historic red card against Turkey, sidelining him from Paraguay's final Group D match.
Irvine, a member of Fifpro's global player council, emphasized that players received fair warning before the tournament. "I know it's going to be controversial in some ways because we don't know the nature of what [the comment] was, but when you look at what's happened in the past, especially around what happened with Vinícius Júnior, I think it takes everything out of the equation," Irvine said.
The midfielder referenced Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni, who covered his mouth while making comments to Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior in a Champions League match. Prestianni was later banned for six matches after an investigation confirmed he used homophobic language. The International Football Association Board approved the red-card rule in April.
The mouth-covering rule represents FIFA's effort to prevent hidden offensive behavior shielded from referee observation. Almirón's suspension could significantly impact Paraguay's tactical setup in their final Group D encounter.