Racism has become a massive problem in football. Now, it is time for FIFA to step up their efforts to prevent further escalation of racism in football.
That is why the FIFA president Gianni Infantino has recently revealed a new step they have taken to eliminate racism from football completely.
Recently, in a UEFA Champions League match between Benfica and Real Madrid, the referee had to activate Anti-Racism Protocols.
The referee, Francois Letexier, had to halt the game for 10-11 minutes after he crossed his arms (no racism gesture) after Vinicius Junior alerted him.
It came after Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni allegedly threw racial abuse at Vinicius after covering his mouth. The Brazilian refused to play the rest of the match.
However, he did return to the pitch after Alvaro Arbeloa and his teammates persuaded him. Also, UEFA punished Prestianni, provisionally banning him from the second leg of the tie.
Now, the matter is not over yet, as FIFA are preparing to step into this matter. Gianni Infantino recently informed Sky News of the latest action FIFA are planning on such incidents.
“If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously.
“There must be a presumption that he has said something he shouldn’t have said, otherwise he wouldn’t have had to cover his mouth.
“And these are actions that we can take, and we have to take in order to be serious about our fight against racism.”
The FIFA president is planning to implement this rule from the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has told Sky News that footballers who cover their mouths in confrontations with rivals should be sent off on the presumption they are being offensive.
🔗 https://t.co/i70Raj9Gpe pic.twitter.com/9GX9629H0e
— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 1, 2026
Want to get the latest transfer news direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp community by clicking here.
