A red card in a World Cup match means a player is sent off immediately and cannot be replaced, so their team must finish the game with one fewer player.

What it means

  • The player must leave the field right away and take no further part in the match.
  • The team keeps playing, but with 10 players instead of 11.
  • It is usually given for serious foul play, violent conduct, abusive language, or denying a clear goal-scoring chance.

World Cup effect

  • In the World Cup, a red card also brings an automatic one-match suspension for the next game.
  • That rule applies whether the red card is direct or comes from two yellow cards in the same match.

Simple example

If a defender makes a dangerous tackle late in the game and gets a red card, that player is out for the rest of the match, and the team has to defend with one less player.

TL;DR: red card = immediate ejection, no replacement, and usually a suspension for the next World Cup match.