With the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico rapidly approaching, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has delivered a crucial message to national teams. This warning comes several months after a contentious final match in the Africa Cup of Nations between the national teams of Senegal and Morocco.

The aforementioned CAN final, which Senegal ultimately won 1-0, was marred by significant refereeing controversy. Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndella awarded a penalty to Morocco shortly after a Senegalese goal had been disallowed. In response to these decisions, the Senegalese players, under the guidance of coach Pape Thiaw, temporarily exited the field for approximately ten minutes before resuming play.

Despite the disruption, the game concluded with the Lions of Teranga securing their second continental title thanks to a decisive goal from Pape Guèye.

Now, as the global football community looks forward to the 2026 World Cup, Gianni Infantino has unequivocally stressed the strictness of regulations regarding team conduct during matches. He stated, “Starting from the World Cup, any team that decides to leave the field to protest against refereeing will receive red cards and forfeit the match!”

This unambiguous directive serves as a clear deterrent, aiming to prevent any similar incidents from occurring at the upcoming prestigious international tournament.