A washing machine includes a housing which forms an exterior of the washing machine and a tub mounted inside of the housing, the tub having an opening through which laundry may be inserted and removed. A drum is rotatably mounted inside of the tub, the drum having an opening substantially aligned with the opening of the tub, through which laundry may be inserted and removed. A foreign matter shield is configured to prevent foreign matter from entering a space between the tub and the drum by maintaining a gap between the opening of the drum and the tub at a predetermined size during movement of the drum relative to the tub from an initial position to a lower position.