A red card in soccer is shown when a player commits a serious offense or gets a second yellow card in the same match. It means the player is sent off immediately and their team must finish the game with one fewer player.

Common reasons

A referee can show a red card for things like:

  • Serious foul play.
  • Violent conduct.
  • Spitting at someone.
  • Using abusive, insulting, or offensive language or gestures.
  • Deliberately handling the ball to deny a goal or obvious goal-scoring chance.
  • Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by a foul.
  • Getting a second yellow card.

What happens next

Once a player is sent off, they cannot return to the match, and they usually face a suspension for the next game or more, depending on the competition and the offense.

Quick scoop

A simple way to remember it: yellow is a warning, red is ejection.