Why England star Jude Bellingham was not sent off for breaking FIFA rules vs Ghana

England was held scoreless by Ghana in one of the most anticipated matches in the group stage of the World Cup.

The result left Thomas Tuchel’s side with work to do in their battle to secure top spot in the group, and came as a timely reminder that the Three Lions are not a done deal just yet after a pulsating opener against Croatia.

England created chances but could not get the result against a well-mannered Ghana side, with Harry Kane and Nico O’Reilly going close at full-time.

Ghana, on the other hand, defended strongly and produced many dangerous counter-attacks of their own.

England are preparing to face Group L side Panama, who they thrashed 6-1 at the 2018 World Cup in Russia under Sir Gareth Southgate – their first and last time against the Central Americans.

Tuchel’s side are in strong position to secure their place in the knockout round, and must match or better Ghana’s result against Croatia to clinch first place and play the third-placed team in the Round of 32.

If that happens, England could find themselves locked in a tie with Scotland, and Steve Clarke’s men could end up as one of the best third-placed teams as long as they don’t lose to Brazil.

While fans will inevitably weigh in on England’s future at the tournament, much of the discussion after the final whistle has focused on Jude Bellingham and an incident involving the Real Madrid midfielder.

In the second half, television cameras captured Bellingham talking to Ghana forward Jordan Ayew.

As the two exchanged words, Bellingham covered her mouth with her hand.

This season immediately attracted attention due to the new FIFA regulations introduced for the 2026 World Cup.

Earlier in the tournament, Paraguayan midfielder Miguel Almiron became the first player to be sent off under those rules.

Almiron received a red card during Paraguay’s match against Turkey after covering his mouth while talking to an opponent on the pitch.

The dismissal came after a VAR review.

Referee Ivan Barton was advised to assess the incident before deciding to issue a straight red card.

A new FIFA rule was introduced ahead of the tournament and specifically targets situations where players cover their mouths when facing opponents.

The measure is part of a wider effort by FIFA to promote transparency during disputes on the pitch and to tackle abusive or insulting language.

As a result of Almiron’s dismissal, many fans immediately questioned why Bellingham was not punished in the same way against Ghana.

Social media was quickly filled with comparisons between the two events, and opinions were also raised by television experts and commentators following the game.

The explanation seems to focus on the context of the exchange.

How Jude Bellingham luckily escaped a red card against Ghana

According to reports following the match, FIFA’s guidelines distinguish between incidents of brawls and normal conversations between players.

Bellingham’s conversation with Ayew was not considered aggressive or confrontational by the game officials, as there was no altercation between the two players.

Neither player reacted angrily during the exchange.

That was in stark contrast to Almiron’s dismissal.

In the match between Paraguay and Turkey, the discussion took place when there was a disagreement between the competing players following a foul play.

The face-to-face confrontation was seen by the officers and eventually led to them being disciplined.

Almiron later received a one-match suspension after the red card.

The difference between these two situations has now become a major talking point regarding the new FIFA rule.

This rule is new and it is the first major tournament to be used.

Several players have already changed their behavior during games as awareness of the rule has spread, and the Bellingham incident highlighted how much interpretation is still involved in applying the rule.

The act of gagging itself is not automatically punished.

Instead, officials must determine whether it occurred during a confrontation or aggressive negotiations with an opponent.

That difference proved to be important during England’s draw with Ghana, which is why Bellingham didn’t get his marching orders which would have been a huge blow to Tuchel.