A red card means the player is sent off immediately and cannot be replaced, so their team plays the rest of the match with one fewer player. It also usually leads to a suspension for the next match, and in some competitions the ban can be longer depending on the offense.

What it means in the game

  • The player must leave the field right away.
  • The team cannot bring on a substitute for that player.
  • If the red card came from a second yellow, that still counts as a sending-off.

Common reasons

A referee can show a red card for serious foul play, violent conduct, spitting, offensive language, or denying a clear goal-scoring chance.

Simple example

If a defender gets a straight red in the 60th minute, the team finishes the last 30 minutes with 10 players instead of 11.

[1] [3][4] [1][3]
Result What happens
Red card Player is ejected from the match
Team impact Team plays short-handed with no replacement
Later impact Player may miss the next match or more, depending on the competition
TL;DR: red card = out of the match, team plays with 10, and the player often gets suspended next game too.