Fouls in Football: Yellow Cards, Red Cards and Law Breaking Misconduct

Fouls in Football: Yellow Cards, Red Cards and Law Breaking Misconduct

A foul in football is defined as any act which breaks the laws of the game and is therefore punished by the referee.

Despite that seemingly simple explanation, they can be confusing and difficult to understand.

There is a plethora of different rules and regulations which govern what is deemed an infringement and how severe that rule breaking is, the issue is that they change all the time and it can be difficult to keep up.

With that being said, here is your ultimate guide to fouls in football.

From yellow card cautions to foul play deemed worthy of a straight red card, everything is included in this whistle-stop tour.

Don't say Football Park never teaches you anything...

Fouls Warranting a Direct Free Kick

A direct free kick in football is a free kick awarded by the referee which can be scored from without needing an in-play touch first.

Leandro Paredes. Direct free kick. 🤤#RomaMilan pic.twitter.com/zLXJ0YnKfE

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) May 19, 2025

Direct free kicks are awarded by the referee for offences which are considered to be careless, reckless or use excessive force.

Careless

The term careless refers to when a player acts without precaution and shows a lack of attention/consideration when making a challenge.

Reckless

Reckless is when a player acts with disregard to the danger or consequences of an opponent- if this is deemed to be the case the referee must caution the player with a yellow card under the rules.

Excessive Force

Using excessive force is when a player exceeds the necessary use of force and endangers the safety of an opponent- If this happens the player in question will receive a red card and be sent off.

Examples

Some examples of offences that warrant a direct free kick include: Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent, trips or attempts to trip, bites or spits and impeding an opponent with contact.

Fouls Warranting an Indirect Free Kick

An Indirect Free Kick is a dead ball situation which can not be scored from directly. The ball must be touched in-play before any attempt on goal can occur.

😅 Slipped on your penalty and it went in?
Here’s what the law says for accidental double touches:

⚽ Goal scored → Retake
❌ Goal missed → Indirect free kick
🚫 Deliberate → IFK or penalty missed

🎥 Watch this accidental double touch – now you know! pic.twitter.com/VF2f322KrN

— Lincolnshire FA (@LincolnshireFA) July 27, 2025

Some of the main fouls which warrant an indirect free kick being awarded are:

Playing in a Dangerous Manner

Playing in a dangerous manner refers to any action that, while trying to play the ball, threatens to injure someone and includes preventing nearby opponent from playing the ball for fear of injury.

Impeding Progress of an Opponent Without Contact

Impeding the progress of an opponent means moving into their path to obstruct, block, slow down or force a change of direction when the ball is not within playing distance of either player.

So Joao Pedro can swing an elbow full force towards a players head but that's okay. No Red, not even a yellow.
Duran accidentally steps on a guys arse and it's a 3 game ban?
Corrupt league pic.twitter.com/QDOfdnihDA

— Taylor (@TheOfficialTJM) December 27, 2024

Disciplinary Action

The referee has the authority to hand-out disciplinary action at any point, from the pre-match inspection, to entering the field of play, to leaving the pitch once the game ends.

A player or team who commits a cautionable or sending-off offence, either on or off the field of play, is disciplined according to the offence committed.

Yellow Card Offences

Players receive a yellow card for any one of the following reasons:

• Delaying the restart of play
• Dissent by word or action
• Entering or leaving the field of play without the referees permission.
• Persistent fouling
• Failing to respect distance when play is restarted
• Unsporting Behaviour

Yellow Cards For Unsporting Behaviour Include:

• Attempts to deceive the referee
• Handles the ball to interfere with a promising attack
• Denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity with an attempt to play the ball.
• Shows a lack or respect for the game

And many more...

Goal Celebrations

Players can be given a yellow card for their celebration of a goal. This is enforced when the celebration is excessive, choreographed celebrations must not cause excessive time-wasting or the player will receive a caution.

Delaying The Restart of Play

Referees must caution a player when:

• They delay leaving the field during substitution
• Kicking or carrying the ball away, provoking a confrontation by deliberately touching the ball after the referee has blown their whistle.
• Taking a free kick from the wrong position to force a retake

🚨🚨 | Two (2) Arsenal players have already been sent off for delaying restart this season 🟥😳 pic.twitter.com/vkAaWqutYS

— Football Files (@Football_Files_) September 24, 2024

Red Card Offences

Players can receive a red card for any of the following Fouls:

• Denying an opponent a goal-scoring opportunity with a deliberate handball
• Serious foul play
• Biting or spitting on another player
• Violent conduct
• Using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or actions
• Committing a second bookable offence and receiving a second yellow card, resulting in a red card
• Entering the video operation room

Denial of a Goal-scoring Opportunity (DOGSO)

When a player commits a foul which denies a goal-scoring opportunity inside their own penalty areas which is deemed a genuine attempt to play the ball, the offending player will only receive a yellow card- in any other circumstance the player must be sent off.

Nobody is ever going to convince me that Carlos Baleba shouldn’t have been sent off here.

No attempt to play the ball, catches Zirkzee’s head and is the most clear denial of a goalscoring opportunity you’ll see.

I actually can’t believe it. pic.twitter.com/PfV6X4FIzc

— Dev Bajwa (@ammandev) January 19, 2025

Where a player commits a deliberate handball they will be sent off no matter the area of the pitch.

Serious Foul Play

Serious foul play is defined as a tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force, specifically when challenging for the ball.

Violent Conduct

Violent conduct is defined as when a player uses or attempts to use excessive force against an opponent when not challenging for the ball, regardless of whether contact is made.