An Introduction to Yellow Card and Red Card Penalties in Soccer

Based in Mt. Sterling, Illinois, Heidi Scott is the owner of Schuyler Brown Land Title, a role that involves the preparation of real estate deeds and transfer documents, as well as real estate title examinations. Heidi Scott previously spent 16 years as a tax attorney with the Illinois Department of Revenue. Outside of her professional activities, she engages with the community as a coach with the K&L Arena indoor soccer league.

In the sport of soccer, yellow cards and red cards, collectively known as penalty cards, are used to denote certain rules violations and penalties. Yellow cards indicate lesser offenses, while red cards are more severe and result in the immediate removal of the offending player for the duration of the game. Not only is the player ejected from the game, but their team is barred from replacing the player, resulting in a player advantage for the opposing team. A player that receives two yellow cards in the same game is penalized with a red card and removed from play.

A yellow card is typically issued in instances of unsportsmanlike conduct, repeated rules violations despite warnings, and delays to the resumption of play. A player may also receive a yellow card if they enter or exit the field of play without a referee’s permission.

Red cards, on the other hand, are issued in cases of violent conduct or severe fouls over the course of play. Egregious conduct, such as spitting on another person or using abusive language and gestures, can also result in a red card. Furthermore, a player that denies an obvious goal-scoring attempt by intentionally handling the ball or making a hard contact foul can be penalized with a red card.