Why Jude Bellingham wasn’t sent off despite breaking the World Cup’s most talked-about new rule

Jude Bellingham sparks confusion over new FIFA rule during England’s World Cup draw / Picture: X England midfielder Jude Bellingham became the center of fresh World Cup controversy during Tuesday’s goalless draw with Ghana after television cameras caught him covering his mouth during an interview with Ghana captain Jordan Ayew. With FIFA’s new mouth-covering rule already resulting in the first red card of the tournament, many viewers were left wondering why the England star escaped punishment.The incident occurred during England’s frustrating 0-0 draw against Ghana in Boston. As a result, Group L headed into the final round of matches in a very even state.Bellingham’s interaction with Ayew quickly attracted attention as FIFA introduced a new regulation ahead of the 2026 World Cup that allows players to be sent off if they cover their mouths when confronting opponents.However, the key word in the law is confrontation.

What does FIFA’s new rule about covering the mouth actually say?

The rule was introduced after FIFA president Gianni Infantino pushed for tougher measures following an incident involving Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni, who was banned for six matches by UEFA for homophobic behavior towards Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior during a Champions League match earlier this year.FIFA’s head of referees, Pierluigi Collina, made it clear ahead of the World Cup that covering the mouth itself is not banned.“Players can continue to cover their mouths with their arms and T-shirts because they can chat with their friends,” Collina explained before the tournament.“It’s normal to chat before, during or after the game.“So if the conversation is friendly, they can continue it without a problem.“When the conversation is confrontational, covering your mouth means you’re doing something very wrong, potentially, and the sanction is a red card.”This distinction ultimately proved crucial in Bellingham’s case.

Why wasn’t Bellingham punished

Although pictures of the England midfielder speaking to Ayew were widely circulated, there was no indication that the exchange was hostile or confrontational.Sources told ESPN that Bellingham’s discussion with the Ghana captain was not considered aggressive, meaning the incident did not meet the threshold for disciplinary action under FIFA’s new regulation.Players, coaches and even referees were regularly seen covering their mouths during interviews during the tournament. FIFA’s concern specifically focuses on situations involving arguments, confrontations or potentially offensive language.As a result, neither referee Hector Said Martinez Sorto nor the video assistant referee deemed the incident worthy of review.

How different was Miguel Almirón’s red card

The most common comparison involved Paraguayan forward Miguel Almirón, who became the first player in World Cup history to be sent off under the new rule.Almirón was sent off during Paraguay’s Group D clash against Türkiye after a heated confrontation involving Turkish defender Mert Müldür.The incident occurred after Paraguay’s Isidro Pitta went down following a challenge from Ismail Yüksek, sparking a melee between the two sets of players. During the confrontation, Almirón covered his mouth as he spoke to Müldür.After a VAR review, the officials deemed the situation confrontational and awarded a red card.After this incident, Infantino strengthened the position of FIFA.“This thing about covering your mouth is a very, very important rule for us,” he said.“It’s about respect. It’s about the example we should set.”“If you have nothing to hide, you don’t cover your mouth when you talk to someone.“The rules were made clear to everyone.

Bellingham is also dealing with a clash with Ghana’s bench

While the conversation with Ayew was deemed harmless, Bellingham was involved in a separate flare-up during the game that started at halftime and carried into the second half.The Real Madrid midfielder was involved in a heated and foul-mouthed exchange with members of the Ghana coaching staff, including manager Carlos Queiroz and assistant John Paintsil, following a strong challenge on Ghana defender Jerome Opoku. The confrontation initially erupted at half-time after a reckless tackle and tensions spilled over as both benches reacted angrily before continuing during the game.After speaking, Bellingham admitted that he had mistimed the match, but insisted that the disagreement stemmed from the competitive nature of the match.“Honestly, I made a stupid tackle. I was trying to win the ball and I followed it a little bit and caught the guy, then I talked to him and then their bench jumped up and tried to give me a yellow card,” Bellingham said.“So yeah, I think their manager, I just met him, was obviously the one who used to be at Manchester United (Carlos Queiroz), so a lot of respect and nothing but a competitive advantage for both of us.