JOIN USA soccer player who deliberately coughs close to another player or match official can be issued a red card.
The International Football Association Board, the game's lawmaker, updated its guidelines while the pandemic perseveres.
A referee can only red card a player when they are certain the cough is intentional. A yellow card is also optional.
The new rule falls under "using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures."
IFAB said in a statement: "As with all offences, the referee has to make a judgment about the true nature of the offence.
"If it were clearly accidental, then the referee would not take action nor if the 'cough' took place with a large distance between the players.
"However, where it is close enough to be clearly offensive, then the referee can take action."