What is the Blue Card in Soccer? How is it Different From Indoor Football?

Soccer has seen some massive changes over the years. However, if reports are to be believed, the game is in for a revolution. According to reports, the International Football Association Board is planning to introduce a new disciplinary measure to the sport. The Association has taken inspiration from its indoor counterpart and could implement the ‘Blue Card’ in top-tier leagues across the world.

The Blue Card was initially introduced to Indoor Soccer with the sport using the card as a disciplinary measure to punish players for a brief duration. However, while the IFAB might have used the card as a reference from its counterpart, their new reforms could bring in a massive change to the current landscape.

IFAB plans to bring a massive change to soccer!

According to the Telegraph, the International Football Association Board has agreed to implement the Blue Card across its competitions starting next summer. This could be a massive change to the existing disciplinary guidelines with the Yellow and Red cards introduced back in 1970. As per the reports, the new card will allow referees to book players for dissent on a clinical foul during any juncture of the game.

The Blue card will force the booked players to a ten-minute suspension, leaving their team to ten men for a brief duration. IFAB has already implemented the card on grassroots levels in Wales, with the results showing a reduction in tactical fouls and dissent towards match officials. While orange was considered the primary color, blue was selected as the option to avoid any confusion with the yellow and red cards.

Despite IFAB taking inspiration from Indoor soccer, it seems that there is a massive difference between the two cards from the different sports. While both cards will be used for booking players who commit dissent and tactical fouls, IFAB plans to implement a ten-minute soft ban rather than impose indoor soccer’s brief two-minute ban.

When will the Blue Card come into play?

The past few months have seen things get out of hand with yellow cards. The Premier League alone has witnessed an average of 4.5 yellow cards per game. With new rules allowing referees to book players for any dissent, match officials have wasted no time in clamping down on their authority. While the 2022/23 season saw an average of 0.22 yellow cards per game for a dissent, figures have risen to an alarming 0.77 yellow cards per game.

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While the Blue Card might help in narrowing down the rapid increase in yellow cards, the rule might not be in for the elite leagues, well, for now at least. According to reports, the new rules will be introduced this Friday with the big leagues set to be excluded from the initial testing process. However, we could see some first-division leagues come under the testing process this summer.

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