Miguel Almirón became the first player to receive a red card under one of the new rules introduced at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Before the tournament, FIFA instructed referees to send off any player who covers their mouth with their hand while speaking on the pitch.
During the match between Turkey and Paraguay, referee Ivan Barton applied the regulation without hesitation and dismissed the Paraguayan midfielder.
The incident occurred just before halftime as Almirón exchanged words with Turkish defender M. Müldür. The referee immediately punished the Paraguayan player, forcing his team to play the entire second half with ten men despite leading 1-0.
Paraguay nevertheless showed remarkable resilience and held on to secure a crucial victory that kept its qualification hopes alive.
