Explaining Colour Cards in Football as Pink Cards Are Set to Be Introduced in Copa America

• It was reported the pink card would be debuted at the upcoming Copa America
• The South American Football Confederation is keen on prioritising player health
• Pink cards are just the latest of a new wave of coloured cards in modern football

Football fans are set to experience another new initiative in the game - pink cards.

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) recently announced that it would debut pink cards at the upcoming 2024 Copa America.

Unlike other ‘strange’ cards in the game, pink cards are actually meant to benefit a good cause in football. They are designed to help clarify concussion substitutes and protect players’ welfare.

Ahead of the Copa America, per AS, the new rule was passed as part of CONMEBOL’s efforts to protect players’ welfare. The continental tournament kicks off on June 20.

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Football

Sports Brief now breaks down the ‘strange’ cards in football and what they mean.

Deciphering every colour card in football

Yellow and red cards

These are the most common cards in the game and are self-explanatory.

Yellow and red cards punish fouls and misdemeanours in the game. The latter is issued to dismiss the player for extreme ‘crimes’ on the pitch.

Blue cards (sin bin)

Earlier in 2024, there were mixed reactions after it emerged IFAB planned to approve a proposal to introduce blue cards to the game.

In the proposal, referees would have the power to issue blue cards to players for acts of dissent or cynical fouls. Players must serve time in the sin bin before returning to action.

Two blue cards or a combination of a blue and yellow card would result in a dismissal (red card).

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Amid backlash from fans, plans to introduce sin bins were ultimately shelved.

White cards

During a women's cup game between Sporting Lisbon and Benfica in January 2023, the football world was treated to a rare occurrence as referee, Catarina Campos, brandished a white card.

Unlike yellow and blue cards, the white card has a positive spin, as it aims to acknowledge and encourage great sportsmanship, according to Euro News.

In this case, Campos showed a white card to medical staff from Benfica and Sporting Lisbon for their quick response when someone fell ill in the stands.

Green card

A green card was introduced in the 2018 CONIFA World Cup, a competition for nations non-affiliated with FIFA.

The card was introduced for a bizarre purpose: to book a player for dissent, and the offender had to get substituted immediately.

The referee brandished the green card during the game between Padania and Tuvalu at Coles Park in a matter of minutes.

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According to Mail Sport, the Italian Serie B also introduced the green card as a positive measure for players who put the ball out of play when an opponent was injured.

How yellow cards work in the Champions League

Sports Brief also previously reported on how 2024 Champions League yellow cards would work after UEFA amended its rules in the 2014/2015 season.

All the bookings are wiped out after the quarter-final stage. This means a player cannot miss out on playing in the final due to accumulated yellow cards.

Under the new rules, a player will be suspended for one game if he accumulates three yellow cards from the qualifying rounds up to the Round of 16 ties.