OFFICIAL: The purple card makes history at the World Cup

The purple card officially makes its debut at the U20 World Cup, highlighting a technological breakthrough in contemporary football

FIFA has for the first time tested purple and blue cards at the tournament U20 World Cup, with a purple card being used in the match where Morocco defeated Spain 2-0 this week. Yellow and red cards have long been familiar in football, so the introduction of the purple card surprised fans worldwide.

What’s more unusual is that the card was not shown by a referee. At the 77th minute, when a Spanish player fell inside the penalty area, Morocco’s coach Mohamed Ouahbi raised the purple card, forcing the referee to review the incident via VAR from the sidelines. FIFA stated this system is designed to enhance fairness and reduce referee disputes.

Previously, in January 2023, football witnessed the first-ever use of a white card in a women’s match in Portugal. This initiative by the Portuguese Football Federation aims to promote fair play spirit and “enhance ethical values in sports.”

In fact, the official name of this card is the “green card,” but its color can vary depending on the tournament (U20 World Cup chose purple or blue). The card allows coaches to challenge referee decisions and request a VAR or FVS (Football Video Support) review, with a limit of two challenges per match.

When a coach wants to contest a referee’s call, they can show the green card, compelling the referee to review the situation on a sideline monitor. This mechanism is similar to the “challenge” system in rugby, basketball, cricket, or tennis, giving referees an additional chance to reassess controversial plays.

About 200 matches have been trialed with FVS in Serie C (Italy’s third division). The system is also being tested in Brazil, specifically in the Copa Paulista and Copa do Brasil Feminina (National Women’s Cup). According to FIFA, initial results show this technology is proving effective.

FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina emphasized: “FVS is a support tool for competitions with limited resources and fewer cameras. It is not VAR or a simplified version of VAR, but a system that helps referees receive additional assistance in making decisions.”

In the U20 World Cup semi-final between Morocco and France early on October 16, coach Mohamed Ouahbi used the purple card to ask for a review of a penalty-area fall at the 72nd minute. Referee Gustavo Tejera then checked the screen but decided not to award a penalty to Morocco.

According to FIFA regulations, only the head coach or the highest-ranking official in the technical area can request a review, and this must be done immediately after the incident. Players can also ask their coach to issue the “review request” card.

The FVS system applies only to three major situations: goals (valid or not), penalties, and direct red cards. FIFA confirms FVS does not replace VAR but is a more flexible, simplified version that allows competitions with fewer resources to access video assistance technology.

The core goal, according to FIFA, is to “democratize football,” expanding video technology to many levels of competition, ensuring fairness and accuracy in decisions regardless of scale.

Morocco will face Argentina in the U20 World Cup final on October 19.

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