Players at the World Cup could receive a red card if they cover their mouths while talking to opponents during arguments on the pitch.
The decision was made during a special meeting of the FIFA Council in Vancouver on Tuesday, where two new football law changes were approved.
Players who walk off the pitch to protest a referee’s decision could also face a red card. This follows the controversial scenes during the Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal.
Both rule changes were approved by the International Football Association Board (Ifab), and FIFA confirmed they will be used at this summer’s World Cup.
The issue became widely discussed in February when Gianluca Prestianni covered his mouth with his shirt while speaking to Vinícius Júnior during a Champions League match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF.
Prestianni was first accused of racist abuse and given a temporary one-match ban. After an investigation by UEFA, he was found guilty of homophobic conduct and banned for six matches, with three games suspended.
The matter was later discussed at the Ifab annual meeting in Wales, where it was agreed the issue should be taken to the FIFA Council.
Referees will still decide each situation based on what happened before showing a red card.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he supports the rule because it could stop players from making abusive comments.
Infantino said: “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.
“If you do not have something to hide, you don’t hide your mouth when you say something. That’s it, as simple as that.”
In the Africa Cup of Nations final, Senegal players walked off the pitch and returned to the dressing room after Morocco were awarded a penalty.
When the players returned, Brahim Díaz missed the penalty after his Panenka effort was saved by Édouard Mendy, and Senegal later won 1-0.
However, Confederation of African Football (CAF) later stripped Senegal of the title and awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory.
The new rule will also apply to team officials who encourage players to leave the pitch.
Any team that causes a match to be abandoned could lose the game automatically.
