Blue Card to Be Introduced in Professional Football

Blue cards will soon be introduced in professional football. This was reported by The Telegraph. The change will be announced by the International Football Association Board. Thus, a blue card will be issued to players who argue with referees or commit tactical fouls.

Upon receiving a blue card, a player will be temporarily removed from the field for 10 minutes. If a player has one blue card and one yellow card, they will immediately receive a red card. A player will also leave the game if they accumulate two blue cards.

This innovation will initially be implemented in women's and youth competitions, as well as in lower league club matches. Trials could begin as early as this summer in elite teams, potentially occurring in the FA Cup and Women’s FA Cup.

As an example of a deliberate foul, the case of Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini pulling England player Bukayo Saka's shirt in the Euro 2020 final is highlighted, for which he only received a yellow card.