Why Bellingham was not sent off for covering his mouth (opens original article in a new tab)

A new World Cup rule allows players to be sent off for covering their mouth during confrontations, but Jude Bellingham was not penalized as his conversation with Ghana's Jordan Ayew was friendly, while Paraguay's Miguel Almiron was sent off in a heated match situation.

• A law introduced for the 2026 World Cup allows players to be sent off for covering their mouth during confrontations with opponents
• Jude Bellingham was not sent off despite covering his mouth as the conversation was friendly and non-confrontational
• Paraguay's Miguel Almiron was sent off for covering his mouth during a heated match situation with Turkey's Mert Muldur
• The new rule is currently only being used at the World Cup and may not be adopted by domestic leagues due to consistency and abuse concerns