With Paraguay and Australia clashing to see who claims the second place in Group D, Miguel Almiron will be one of the big names missing the game. Miguel Almiron is one of several MLS stars representing his nation at the 2026 World Cup as Paraguay fights to qualify for the knockout phase. However, for this crucial group-stage match against Australia, the Atlanta United star will be forced to watch from the sidelines.
Almiron is unavailable for the clash against Australia because he must serve a mandatory one-game suspension. The forward received a straight red card during Matchday 2 against Turkey for confronting Mert Muldur while covering his mouth, a violation of one of the newest disciplinary rules introduced for this tournament.
Originating from a past high-profile altercation between Vinicius Junior and Gianluca Prestianni, this new IFAB rule is being implemented for the first time in this edition. “At the discretion of the competition organiser, any player covering their mouth in a confrontational situation with an opponent may be sanctioned with a red card,” read the statement released by the organ about the new rule.
According to FIFA’s official statement, Almiron violated Article 14.1b of the Disciplinary Code, which strictly penalizes unsporting conduct toward an opponent. Furthermore, the announcement clarified that the decision is not subject to appeal, completely closing the door on a review and ruling him out against Australia.
Miguel Almiron #10 of Paraguay reacts after receiving a red card for covering his mouth.
Because of the suspension, Paraguay will have to cope without their star playmaker, who had started both of their previous group matches. With the USMNT leading Group D, both Paraguay and Australia sit tied with three points each, making this a direct battle for second place to avoid the risky third-place wildcard spots.
Almiron finds himself at the center of another new rule
Almiron’s ejection against Turkey marked the first time the new mouth-covering rule was actually enforced on the pitch. However, this was not the first time the Paraguayan attacker found himself at the center of a historic officiating decision in the 2026 World Cup.
In the opening match against the USMNT, Almiron went down on the wing in the 50th minute after a challenge from Tim Ream, who was initially shown a yellow card. However, the VAR intervened to trigger a “mistaken identity and decision overwrite” protocol, which allows officials to review and correct plays where the wrong player or infraction was booked.
After referee Danny Makkelie reviewed the monitor, he saw that Ream made no contact and that Almiron had actually simulated the foul. The referee quickly rescinded Ream’s yellow card and booked the Paraguayan winger for diving instead, marking another dramatic showcase of modern tournament rules.