Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron (center) argues with referee Ivan Barton (right) with defender Juan Jose Caceres (left) during a Group D match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
Last week, Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón was treated to an early exit from a showdown with Turkey over a violation FIFA promised would be greeted with a red card during the World Cup. One of his countrymen made it very clear he was not thrilled with that decision while covering the match, and he won’t have the chance to voice his displeasure for the rest of the tournament after losing his media credentials.
The mandatory hydration breaks that have spawned plenty of controversy since becoming a staple of every World Cup game this year are easily the most significant change FIFA rolled out ahead of the tournament, but that’s not the only tweak that’s been introduced.
The governing body has spent years battling racist, homophobic, and other inflammatory language deployed by players and fans alike. Following an incident during a Champions League match in April, it adopted a new rule that was approved by IFAB, which gives referees the right to pull out a red card if a player covers their mouth while verbally accosting an opponent on the pitch.
We were treated to our first ejection of that particular nature at the World Cup when Paraguay and Turkey faced off last Friday, and a soccer commentator who hails from the former will not be calling any more games as it continues to unfold thanks to his reaction.
A Paraguayan broadcaster has been banned from calling any more World Cup matches after tearing into FIFA over Miguel Almirón’s red card
Paraguay’s World Cup roster features a couple of rising stars in the form of Julio Enciso and Diego Gomez, and the squad was also relying on the experience of veteran Miguel Almirón heading into a tournament where they faced an uphill battle to advance from a group where the United States and Turkey were expected to finish in the top two.
The team opened things up with a 4-1 loss at the hands of America, but they got a crucial 1-0 victory over Turkey on Friday in what was essentially a must-win game. However, they did suffer a loss in that contest, as Almirón became the first player to receive a red card for covering his mouth after he was sent off toward the end of the first half following a confrontation with Mert Muldur.
Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón is sent off with a red card 🟥 pic.twitter.com/adQyHF296s
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 20, 2026
It was a pretty clear-cut infraction, but according to Reuters, it nonetheless sparked a fiery response from Jorge ”Chipi” Vera, the Paraguayan commentator who was covering the match for the country’s ABC TV.
Vera launched into a rant where he referred to Iván Barton, the ref who issued the red, as a “thief” before tearing into FIFA (and its president, Gianni Infantino) for the rule change that not only put Paraguay down a man for the remainder of the game but led to Almirón being suspended for the final group stage game against Australia.
Vera was subsequently handed a suspension of his own, as FIFA responded to his comments by stripping him of his media credentials and banning him from covering games “either inside the stadiums or outside them” in addition to “any type of participation or coverage related to the World Cup” (he did apologize for his comments on Monday, but it was too little, too late).
As of this writing, Almirón is still the only player who’s received a red for covering their mouth, although some fans asserted England’s Jude Bellingham should have been disciplined for going that route while chatting with Ghana’s Jordan Ayew on Tuesday.
However, as the BBC notes, referees do have some leeway, as the rule only applies when players are butting heads as opposed to having a friendly conversation.