A guide to the World Cup’s 13 red cards: From Balogun to Quansah

With 13 red cards already issued at this World Cup, the consistency of refereeing remains a hot topic. Former Premier League official Graham Scott has reviewed every dismissal to assess the accuracy of these high-stakes decisions and the reasoning behind VAR interventions.

The majority of these incidents fall into categories of serious foul play, denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity (DOGSO), and the newly enforced rule against covering one's mouth during confrontations. Scott emphasizes that while some calls were undeniably harsh, the officials are largely operating under a strict mandate to prioritize player safety and decorum.

Significant focus has been placed on the dismissals of Folarin Balogun and Jarell Quansah. In Quansah's case against Mexico, replays proved that while he initially touched the ball, the follow-through saw his studs catch the opponent’s shin. Scott concludes that this was the correct decision, dismissing comparisons to Balogun's more incidental challenge.

On the controversial new rule regarding covering the mouth, which resulted in red cards for Miguel Almiron and Piero Hincapie, the expert explains that FIFA is attempting to deter abusive behavior. Under this regulation, covering the mouth while communicating with an opponent is now an automatic sending-off offense, regardless of the actual content of the conversation.