The International Football Association Board (IFAB) will announce the introduction of a new blue card on Friday as part of testing sin bins in professional football, sources confirmed to ESPN.
The news of the blue cards was first reported by The Telegraph.
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Football lawmakers in November announced measures to improve player behavior and increase respect for referees, including temporary dismissals for dissent and specific tactical fouls.
Sin bins have already been successfully implemented at lower levels of football since 2019-20, with players ordered to leave the field for 10 minutes if they disrespect a referee.
The new test for top-level football, which is expected to last at least 12 months, will include situations where a player deliberately eliminates an opponent in an attacking situation when a red card is not justified.
An example of this was the Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini who dragged the Englishman Bukayo Saka by the neck in the Euro 2020 final.
Grassroots football in England, which has a particular problem with player abuse of referees, has been using the yellow card to indicate infringement in 31 leagues since the 2019-20 season. The IFAB wanted a different color to distinguish players, coaches and fans, and has chosen blue.
However, fans will not see the blue card in top-level competitions such as the Premier League, LaLiga, UEFA Champions League, Euro 2024 or the Copa América. Testing throughout next season will not be allowed at the highest level, and it would not be until 2026-27 before it can enter the Laws of the Game.
In fact, there have been several lower league judgments in recent years aimed at combating dissent, such as moving a free kick 10 yards forward, which have not been included in the Laws.
Sources have told ESPN that there is limited support for sin bins among the major leagues, and the Football Association will not trial them in competitions such as the Women's Super League and FA Cup.
“FIFA wishes to clarify that reports regarding the so-called 'blue card' at the elite levels of football are incorrect and premature,” the sport's governing body said in a statement. following reports on Thursday.
“Any such testing, if implemented, should be limited to testing responsibly at lower levels, a position that FIFA intends to reiterate when this agenda item is discussed at the IFAB Annual General Assembly on March 1 “.
