Football will introduce blue cards to expel for ten minutes anyone who commits tactical fouls or protests to the referee

In a groundbreaking move, the world of football is set to introduce blue cards as a punishment for tactical fouls and dissent towards referees. This innovative approach, first reported by The Telegraph, will see players being expelled for ten minutes if they commit offenses that impede promising attacks or protest referee decisions. The International Football Association Board (IFAB), responsible for shaping the rules of the game, plans to trial the use of blue cards in elite matches this summer, marking the first major disciplinary change since the introduction of yellow and red cards during the 1970 World Cup.

According to The Telegraph, the IFAB will officially announce this new protocol on Friday. The application of blue cards will not be initially implemented in the Euro Cup or the Champions League. However, the English Federation intends to introduce this regulation in cup matches and women’s games next season. The president of UEFA, Aleksander Ceferin, expressed his strong opposition to this innovation, stating that it deviates from the essence of football. Notably, the concept of temporarily confining players to “cages” for their protests already exists in amateur and youth matches.

Furthermore, as reported by the IFAB, captains will have exclusive rights to communicate with referees, mirroring the approach already adopted in rugby. The governing body believes that players’ behavior has become a cancer that is detrimental to the essence of football. It aims to eradicate fouls that disrupt goal-scoring opportunities but do not warrant red card punishment.