Rabat – FIFA President Gianni Infantino recently discussed new changes to FIFA’s rules, emphasizing the urgent need to improve respect and discipline within football.
During the FIFA Congress today, Infantino stated that the organization wants to stop wasting time and focus on professional behavior. He announced that any player who leaves the field without the referee’s permission will now receive a red card.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) officially approved this rule earlier this week. The new regulation targets players who walk off the pitch to protest a referee’s decision.
Notably, this new penalty also applies to team officials (such as coaches) who encourage their players to leave the field.
“If a player covers his mouth while speaking to an opponent, he will also be punished, because communication must be clear. When you speak to an opponent, you should not cover your mouth,” Infantino explained.
He added that FIFA “will also invest in making the lives of referees better” as part of improving the running of matches and promoting discipline on the field.”
These strict regulations follow the controversy at the 2025 AFCON final in Morocco, where the Senegalese national team coach instructed his players to walk off the pitch to protest the referee’s decision to award Morocco a last-minute penalty.
With the case still pending the final verdict of the Court of Arbibration for Sport after African football’s governing body stripped Senegal of the AFCON title, FIFA’s new regulations confirm the prevailing view that Senegal’s conduct during the AFCON final was unethical and intolerable.