Explained: Why Bellingham was NOT shown red card for covering his mouth

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Jude Bellingham found himself at the centre of a post-match debate following England’s goalless draw with Ghana after images emerged of him covering his mouth while speaking to Jordan Ayew. Despite a strict new FIFA law in place for the 2026 World Cup that can result in a red card for such actions, the Three Lions star remained on the pitch.

The new FIFA mouth-covering law

The controversy surrounding Bellingham stems from a recently introduced regulation for the 2026 World Cup, which mandates that a player can be sent off if they deliberately hide their mouth when speaking to an opponent. This move was championed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino following an incident involving Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni, who received a six-match ban for homophobic conduct earlier this year.

The rule was designed to ensure accountability and respect on the pitch. Infantino noted: "It's about respect. It's about the example that we should give. If you have nothing to hide, you don't cover your mouth when you speak to somebody. The rules have been made very clear to everyone."

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Why Bellingham escaped punishment

While images showed Bellingham covering his mouth during a chat with Jordan Ayew, context is everything in the eyes of the officials. Pierluigi Collina, FIFA's head of referees, clarified before the tournament that the act itself isn't banned, only the act of doing so during a heated confrontation. "Players can continue to cover their mouth with an arm and the shirt because they may chat with friends," Collina explained. "So if the conversation is a friendly conversation, they can continue to do it without any problem."

In the case of the Real Madrid midfielder and Ayew, there was no detectable animosity between the two players. It was viewed as a standard tactical discussion or friendly chat. Unlike the recent dismissal of Miguel Almiron, who used the gesture during a heated melee, Bellingham’s actions did not meet the confrontational threshold required for VAR to intervene.

The Almiron precedent and rule consistency

The football world was put on notice when Paraguay's Almiron became the first player sent off for this offence against Turkey. In that instance, a general melee was occurring, and Almiron’s decision to cover his mouth while speaking to Mert Muldur was interpreted as hiding abusive language during a flashpoint. He received a one-game ban for the infraction.

There remain significant concerns regarding the consistency of this law. Critics argue it could be weaponised by players trying to get opponents sent off by initiating a conversation and then pointing out the covered mouth to officials. As it stands, the rule is an opt-in measure for competitions, and it remains to be seen if domestic leagues like the Premier League will choose to adopt it given the potential for controversy.

England v Ghana: Group L - FIFA World Cup 2026

Touchline tensions and Queiroz's fury

The mouth-covering incident wasn't the only time Bellingham found himself in the spotlight. The midfielder was involved in a heated exchange with Ghana boss Carlos Queiroz at half-time. Queiroz later claimed the youngster used "one word that is not in the book of life" after being confronted about a tough challenge on Jerome Opoku.

Queiroz was later vocal after the final whistle, suggesting the VAR officials "went for a coffee" instead of awarding his side a late penalty. Addressing the media, the former Manchester United assistant stated: "I'm not sure VAR is still working in the World Cup... They're very lucky. Once again, VAR went for a coffee. It's natural, I would like to also take my coffees once in a while, but it was a clear penalty, red card."