Two players sent off for pulling opponent's hair in CONCACAF Nations League match

During a CONCACAF Nations League match between Antigua and Barbuda and Anguilla, held on September 28, 2026, an unusual incident overshadowed the final 5-0 victory for Antigua and Barbuda. Two players from the winning team were sent off by the referee after they separately grabbed the hair of Anguilla’s substitute, Etan Scipio.

Etan Scipio, wearing the number 10 jersey, is noted for his exceptionally long dreadlocks that reach his ankles. Due to their length, Scipio utilizes a specialized waist belt to secure his hair while playing. The incident occurred following his substitution into the game in the 68th minute. Four minutes later, a player identified as Green was shown a red card for pulling Scipio’s hair, an act that was repeated by another teammate of his later in the game, leading to a second dismissal for the same unusual foul.

While the match concluded with a decisive win for Antigua and Barbuda, the disciplinary actions against their players became the primary talking point of the encounter due to the rarity of such misconduct in international football.