Sports · 1 March 2026
Football's new yellow card: What players say behind their hands
Photo by Omar Ramadan on Pexels
Football's rulemaking body IFAB said it will begin a consultation process to address players covering their mouths during on-pitch confrontations, following a Champions League incident in which Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni allegedly racially abused Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior while shielding his lips. A yellow card is being discussed as the possible sanction. No formal rule change has yet been approved. The discussion took place at IFAB's annual general meeting in Wales on 28 February 2026.
Reported by ESPN / Outlook India · How we write briefs