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Red cards
Clear Line

Red cards

Red cards are most commonly issued for four types of incidents: denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, serious foul play, violent conduct and second yellow cards. We examine what referees must consider in their decision-making, and where VAR should intervene if required.
Overview Goal-scoring opportunity Serious foul play Violent conduct Second yellow Overview Goal-scoring opportunity Serious foul play Violent conduct Second yellow

Violent conduct

Violent conduct covers the use or attempted use of excessive force or brutality when a player is not challenging for the ball.

  • VAR should recommend a red card where the footage clearly shows a missed act of violent conduct.
  • VAR should recommend cancelling a red card where it is clear the player did not use excessive force, or where the opponent clearly exaggerates the nature or severity of the contact.
  • If the evidence is inconclusive, VAR should not intervene.

The rationale

What separates violent conduct from a hard challenge is the ball.

When a player is competing for the ball, the force used is weighed against the nature of the challenge. If the player is not competing for the ball, there is no challenge to weigh the force against, so the act is judged entirely on its own. This is why these types of offences are treated so seriously.

What referees consider when making a decision

  • Was there any attempt to play or challenge for the ball?
  • Was the ball within playing distance?
  • Did the incident happen away from the ball?
  • Was excessive force used while not challenging for the ball?
  • Was there contact to the opponent’s head or face with more than negligible force?

✅ When VAR should recommend a red card

A player commits an act of violent conduct, including:

  • while not challenging for the ball, the player deliberately strikes an opponent or any other person on the head or face with the hand or arm, unless the force used is negligible. (Video 1 below)
  • deliberately headbutting an opponent or any other person with force or intensity while not challenging for the ball. (Video 2)
  • commiting a violent act when the ball is not in play or is in another area of the field of play. (Video 3)
  • biting or spitting at an opponent or any other person.

Video 1 – Violent conduct: Using excessive force, deliberate strike with elbow to face
Video 2 – Violent conduct: Player uses head to strike opponent in face with force
Video 3 – Violent conduct: Player strikes opponent with hand to face without challenging for ball

✅ When VAR should recommend cancelling a red card

The protocol works in both directions. A review can also show that a red card should not stand, in particular when:

  • it is clear that the player did not use excessive force and that the referee's decision resulted from an obvious misinterpretation of the incident .(Video 4)
  • the opponent clearly exaggerates the nature or severity of the contact, leading to an incorrect assessment of violent conduct. (Video 5)

Video 4 – Violent conduct: Player did not use excessive force or brutality

Video 5 – Violent conduct: Player exaggerates contact that was not in face

❌ When VAR should not intervene

  • there is no clear evidence of violent conduct or excessive force.
  • the incident falls within the referee's discretionary judgment regarding whether the force used was excessive or not.
  • the evidence is inconclusive or does not clearly demonstrate that the referee's decision is incorrect.

A decision standing after a check is not VAR failing to act: it means that VAR found no clear and obvious error to correct.