New football rule: green card as a challenge system?

Football has seen a historic first at the U20 World Cup — the debut of the “green card.”

While red and yellow cards have been a staple of the game since their introduction at the 1970 World Cup, FIFA is now trialling green cards as a potential game-changing innovation. The experiment is taking place this month in Chile, with the aim of giving head coaches the chance to challenge refereeing decisions through a limited-use review system. Managers can appeal up to twice per match, prompting a VAR—or in some tournaments, Football Video Support (FVS)—review.

When a coach decides to contest a call, they can signal a green card to compel the referee to examine the pitchside monitor. Interestingly, the physical cards provided are blue or purple rather than green.

The system is similar to challenge mechanisms seen in sports like American football, basketball, cricket, and tennis, offering officials a second opportunity to get decisions right. Referees are still encouraged to check for “clear and obvious” mistakes on goals, penalties, and red cards under standard VAR guidelines, but the green card gives coaches additional influence over key decisions during a match.

The first-ever green card moment happened on Sunday when Morocco’s head coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, contested a penalty awarded to Spain. The referee reviewed the play at the monitor and reversed the call, instead booking the Spanish player for simulation. Morocco went on to win the match 2-0.

FIFA hopes the new system will enhance fairness on the pitch and reduce the number of controversial refereeing decisions.

Whether the green card will become a permanent feature of football remains to be seen. A similar experiment with a white card was introduced in January 2023 during a women’s match in Portugal, aimed at recognising fair play and promoting ethical behaviour in the sport.