Red Card Rules in Soccer
A red card communicates that a player, substitute, substituted player or team official has been sent off.
This historical URL should be restored as the detailed rules companion to the simpler What Does a Red Card Mean? guide.
Red card vs yellow card
A yellow card is a caution.
A red card is a sending-off.
A player can also be sent off after receiving a second caution in the same match.
Sending-off offences
Under current IFAB Law 12, sending-off offences include serious foul play, violent conduct, biting or spitting at someone, certain denial-of-an-obvious-goal-scoring-opportunity offences and other listed misconduct.
The exact decision depends on the action and circumstances.
Serious foul play
A challenge for the ball that uses excessive force or endangers an opponent's safety can be serious foul play.
The fact that a player touches the ball first does not automatically make a dangerous challenge legal.
Violent conduct
Violent conduct involves excessive force or brutality when the player is not legitimately challenging for the ball, or against another person.
DOGSO
DOGSO means denying a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
The referee considers factors such as:
- distance to goal;
- direction of play;
- likelihood of controlling the ball;
- number/location of defenders and attackers.
Handball and penalty-area situations have specific current-law details, so do not reduce DOGSO to “last defender = red card.”
Second yellow card
If a player who has already been cautioned commits another cautionable offence, the referee shows the second yellow and then the red.
What happens to the team?
If an on-field player is sent off, that player cannot be replaced and the team normally continues with fewer players.
If the goalkeeper is sent off, the team may put another eligible player in goal and, if competition substitution rules permit, may use a substitute goalkeeper—but the team does not regain the dismissed player's place.
Team officials
Team officials can also receive yellow and red cards for misconduct.
Suspensions
The Laws of the Game do not impose one universal “one-match ban” for every red card. Suspension length is set by the competition's disciplinary rules.
Can VAR review a red card?
Where VAR is used, direct red-card incidents can fall within the VAR protocol. Competition technology and procedures vary.
Do not confuse red cards with temporary dismissals
Some competitions or development formats may use special disciplinary procedures. Always check the competition rules.
Quick summary
- red = sent off;
- second yellow can lead to red;
- serious foul play and violent conduct are red-card offences;
- DOGSO is contextual;
- the dismissed player cannot simply be replaced;
- suspension length depends on the competition.