On July 15, Declan Rice covered his mouth during an exchange of words with Lionel Messi but escaped a red card as England lost 1-2 to Argentina in the 2026 World Cup semi-finals.
Rice and Messi had a clash in the midfield area in the first half. Cameras captured the moment the Arsenal midfielder used his hand to cover his mouth during a tense exchange with the Argentina captain. However, neither the head referee nor the VAR team had any reaction, while the Argentine side did not complain either.
The situation quickly sparked debate because under new FIFA regulations, a player can be sent off if they intentionally cover their mouth during confrontational behavior or while insulting an opponent. The rule was introduced to prevent offensive language, racism, or unsporting behavior that cameras cannot fully record.
At the 2026 World Cup, Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron became the first player to receive a red card for covering his mouth while arguing with Turkey’s Mert Muldur. Later, Ecuador center-back Piero Hincapie was also sent off after VAR determined he engaged in similar behavior with Mexico’s Santiago Gimenez.
However, Rice’s case was not penalized. According to FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina, the rule is only applied when mouth-covering behavior accompanies intense confrontations or shows signs of insulting the opponent. In addition, Argentine players did not report Rice’s behavior to the referee either. Therefore, Rice escaped a sanction.
Rice not receiving a red card means FIFA has no grounds to issue additional post-match penalties. As a result, the 27-year-old midfielder is eligible to play in the 2026 World Cup third-place match between England and France at 2:00 AM on July 19.
