Although he will miss the last match of the group stage, FIFA confirmed the minimum penalty for the Paraguayan midfielder, and he will be available for a potential round of 16 match if his team qualifies
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Paraguay received reassuring news on the eve of the definition of its group in the 2026 World Cup. After the expulsion due to the first application in the tournament of the so-called "Prestianni Law", Miguel Almirón was sanctioned with a one-match suspension following his expulsion in his team's hard-fought 1-0 victory over Turkey.
The Albirroja midfielder received a red card after covering his mouth in a confrontation with Mert Müldür, an action that was interpreted by the refereeing body as a violation of the new regulation promoted by FIFA. The incident occurred towards the end of the first half at the Levi’s Stadium and forced Gustavo Alfaro's team to play a significant part of the match with one player less.
Days after the match, the Disciplinary Commission of the FIFAconfirmed the final sanction: a one-match suspension. The ruling came after analyzing the refereeing report and the defenses presented by both the player and the player involved in the complaint. The resolution represents the minimum penalty within the range of possible sanctions, which generated relief in the Paraguayan coaching staff.
Thus, Almirón will only miss the upcoming match against Australia, scheduled for the end of the group stage. If Paraguay manages to qualify for the round of 16, the 32-year-old midfielder will be available to the coach again.
The expulsion had sparked intense debate around the recently implemented “Prestianni Law,” a regulation that prohibits players from covering their mouths in situations of dialogue or confrontation with opponents or referees, aiming to prevent unsportsmanlike conduct or possible unverifiable insults.
The rule was introduced following the incident involving Gianluca Prestianni and Vinícius Júnior during the playoff match between Real Madrid and Benfica in the last Champions League, where the inability to read their lips in the face of an alleged racist act led to a regulatory controversy. Since then, FIFA has tightened its criteria for such gestures, making Almirón's case the first major precedent in a World Cup.
The rule arose from the alleged racism incident involving Prestianni and Vinícius
In Paraguay, the decision was met with moderate relief, as there were fears of a greater sanction that could sideline him for the rest of the tournament. Gustavo Alfaro himself had warned days earlier about the impact of such regulations on the development of the game, although he avoided direct confrontation with FIFA.
With the sanction now defined, the Albirroja is reorganizing its planning for the end of the group stage, with the expectation of securing its qualification and recovering one of its key players for the decisive stage of the World Cup.
