When does a foul earn a yellow or a red card?
Rule- South Africa
- PSL
- Betway Premiership
- IFAB Laws of the Game
- VAR
- Senior
- 2026/27
- Fans
Law 12 (2026/27) grades challenges such as kicking, tripping, pushing, charging, jumping at or tackling an opponent:
| How it was done | Meaning | Sanction |
|---|---|---|
| Careless | lack of attention or consideration | free kick, no card |
| Reckless | disregard for the danger to the opponent | yellow card |
| Excessive force | endangers the opponent's safety | red card |
A player is also sent off for:
- serious foul play: a tackle or challenge that endangers an opponent or uses excessive force, including lunging with one or both legs
- violent conduct, including deliberately striking someone on the head or face when not challenging for the ball
- biting or spitting at someone
- denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO) with a foul, except that inside the penalty area a genuine attempt to play the ball, when a penalty is awarded, is only a yellow card
- offensive, insulting or abusive language or gestures
- a second yellow card
New for 2026/27: if the referee plays advantage after a DOGSO foul and a goal is scored, the offender gets no card.
Added 22 Oct 2026