Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron became the first player to be sent off under FIFA’s new mouth-covering rule during his team’s FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Turkiye on Friday. The incident happened late in the first half after a foul on Paraguay striker Isidro Pitta led to a heated exchange between players. While standing away from the main confrontation, Almiron appeared to cover his mouth while speaking to Turkiye defender Mert Muldur. Muldur then alerted the referee, leading to a VAR review.&nbsp;After watching the footage on the pitchside monitor, referee Ivan Barton showed Almiron a straight red card, reducing Paraguay to 10 players despite them leading 1-0 at the time.&nbsp;The rule was introduced by FIFA before the 2026 World Cup to discourage abusive language on the field. Under the regulation, players who cover their mouths during confrontations with opponents can be sent off, as it makes it difficult for officials to determine what was said.&nbsp;However, the rule does not apply to normal conversations between players. FIFA has clarified that players will not face punishment for covering their mouths during friendly or non-confrontational discussions.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-2026-argentina-failed-to-defend-title-in-1990-will-they-be-able-to-join-brazil-and-italy-elite-list-this-time-1781933883854">FIFA 2026 | Argentina failed to defend title in 1990. Will they be able to join Brazil and Italy in elite list this time?</a>

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The change was made following concerns over incidents where players allegedly hid abusive comments by covering their mouths while speaking. Football authorities believe the rule will help improve transparency and accountability during matches.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2026-paraguay-s-matias-galarza-scores-tournament-s-fastest-goal-in-just-64-seconds-1781929269732">FIFA 2026: Paraguay's Matias scores tournament's fastest goal in just 64 seconds</a>&nbsp;Almiron’s dismissal is the first major example of the new regulation being enforced at a FIFA World Cup and could serve as a warning to players for the rest of the tournament.

Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron became the first player in FIFA World Cup history to be sent off under FIFA's new mouth-covering rule during his side's Group D clash against Turkiye on Friday.

Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron became the first player to be sent off under FIFA’s new mouth-covering rule during his team’s FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Turkiye on Friday. The incident happened late in the first half after a foul on Paraguay striker Isidro Pitta led to a heated exchange between players. While standing away from the main confrontation, Almiron appeared to cover his mouth while speaking to Turkiye defender Mert Muldur. Muldur then alerted the referee, leading to a VAR review. After watching the footage on the pitchside monitor, referee Ivan Barton showed Almiron a straight red card, reducing Paraguay to 10 players despite them leading 1-0 at the time. The rule was introduced by FIFA before the 2026 World Cup to discourage abusive language on the field. Under the regulation, players who cover their mouths during confrontations with opponents can be sent off, as it makes it difficult for officials to determine what was said. However, the rule does not apply to normal conversations between players. FIFA has clarified that players will not face punishment for covering their mouths during friendly or non-confrontational discussions. Also Read - FIFA 2026 | Argentina failed to defend title in 1990. Will they be able to join Brazil and Italy in elite list this time?

Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron became the first player in FIFA World Cup history to be sent off under FIFA's new mouth-covering rule during his side's Group D clash against Turkiye on Friday.

FIFA 2026: Why Miguel Almiron was sent off in Paraguay's match against Turkiye - Here's what we know

The United States kicked off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in style with a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay, but the match will also be remembered for a historic VAR intervention that left players, fans, and commentators baffled. With the USMNT cruising to a comfortable lead in their Group D opener at SoFi Stadium, an unusual sequence of events unfolded that resulted in a World Cup first under FIFA's newly introduced laws.&nbsp;Veteran defender Tim Ream appeared to foul Miguel Almiron and was immediately shown a yellow card by Dutch referee Danny Makkelie. However, after Paraguay had already taken the resulting free-kick, the match was suddenly halted following communication from the video assistant referee. Makkelie was sent to the pitchside monitor and, after reviewing the incident, overturned his original decision. Rather than cautioning Ream, the referee rescinded the yellow card and instead booked Almiron for simulation after determining that the Paraguay forward had dived.&nbsp;The incident marked the first-ever World Cup VAR intervention for mistaken identity, made possible by a new FIFA regulation introduced ahead of the tournament. Under the updated rule, if a player is cautioned or sent off for an incident that was actually committed by an opposing player, officials are now permitted to review and correct the decision. While yellow cards themselves are generally not reviewable, the mistaken identity provision allowed the referee to reverse the booking.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/usmnt-star-christian-pulisic-breaks-cristiano-ronaldo-record-as-usa-crush-paraguay-1781346942325">USMNT star Christian Pulisic breaks Cristiano Ronaldo record as USA crush Paraguay</a>&nbsp;The confusion was heightened because play had already restarted before the review took place. Traditionally, once the game resumes, previous decisions cannot be revisited, making the intervention even more unusual. Former Everton and Wales defender Ashley Williams, speaking to BBC Sport, added: "They let them take the free-kick, which was bizarre but clearly the right decision. "It's the first time we have seen it but fair play."&nbsp;Former England midfielder Danny Murphy, who was co-commentating for BBC Sport, added: “Any adaptation of the rules which means diving gets more punishment is good.” While the VAR drama dominated discussion, the United States delivered an outstanding performance on the pitch. An own goal from Damian Bobadilla helped the hosts establish control before Folarin Balogun scored twice to give Mauricio Pochettino's side a commanding 3-0 lead at halftime. Balogun's brace made him only the second American player to score more than once in a World Cup match.&nbsp;Paraguay reduced the deficit through Mauricio in the second half, but Giovanni Reyna produced a spectacular finish with the final kick of the game, curling a stunning effort into the net from 20 yards out to seal a memorable 4-1 victory. The result gives the United States a perfect start to their World Cup journey, but the unprecedented VAR intervention ensured the match made history for more reasons than one.

The USA's 4-1 World Cup win over Paraguay featured a historic VAR intervention as FIFA's new mistaken identity rule was used for the first time ever

The United States kicked off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in style with a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay, but the match will also be remembered for a historic VAR intervention that left players, fans, and commentators baffled. With the USMNT cruising to a comfortable lead in their Group D opener at SoFi Stadium, an unusual sequence of events unfolded that resulted in a World Cup first under FIFA's newly introduced laws. Veteran defender Tim Ream appeared to foul Miguel Almiron and was immediately shown a yellow card by Dutch referee Danny Makkelie. However, after Paraguay had already taken the resulting free-kick, the match was suddenly halted following communication from the video assistant referee. Makkelie was sent to the pitchside monitor and, after reviewing the incident, overturned his original decision. Rather than cautioning Ream, the referee rescinded the yellow card and instead booked Almiron for simulation after determining that the Paraguay forward had dived. The incident marked the first-ever World Cup VAR intervention for mistaken identity, made possible by a new FIFA regulation introduced ahead of the tournament. Under the updated rule, if a player is cautioned or sent off for an incident that was actually committed by an opposing player, officials are now permitted to review and correct the decision. While yellow cards themselves are generally not reviewable, the mistaken identity provision allowed the referee to reverse the booking. Also Read: USMNT star Christian Pulisic breaks Cristiano Ronaldo record as USA crush Paraguay The confusion was heightened because play had already restarted before the review took place. Traditionally, once the game resumes, previous decisions cannot be revisited, making the intervention even more unusual. Former Everton and Wales defender Ashley Williams, speaking to BBC Sport, added: "They let them take the free-kick, which was bizarre but clearly the right decision. "It's the first time we have seen it but fair play." Former England midfielder Danny Murphy, who was co-commentating for BBC Sport, added: “Any adaptation of the rules which means diving gets more punishment is good.” While the VAR drama dominated discussion, the United States delivered an outstanding performance on the pitch. An own goal from Damian Bobadilla helped the hosts establish control before Folarin Balogun scored twice to give Mauricio Pochettino's side a commanding 3-0 lead at halftime. Balogun's brace made him only the second American player to score more than once in a World Cup match. Paraguay reduced the deficit through Mauricio in the second half, but Giovanni Reyna produced a spectacular finish with the final kick of the game, curling a stunning effort into the net from 20 yards out to seal a memorable 4-1 victory. The result gives the United States a perfect start to their World Cup journey, but the unprecedented VAR intervention ensured the match made history for more reasons than one.

USA beat Paraguay 4-1, but a historic VAR intervention under FIFA's new rules stole the spotlight in a bizarre World Cup first. Scroll down to know what happened

World Cup first: VAR makes 'mistaken identity' history in bizarre booking incident during USA's 4-1 win over Paraguay

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FIFA 2026: Why Miguel Almiron was sent off in Paraguay's match against Turkiye - Here's what we know

World Cup history made as VAR overturns decision in USA's 4-1 win over Paraguay