Misconduct (association Football) - Cautionable Offences (yellow Card)

Cautionable Offences (yellow Card)

A player is cautioned and shown a yellow card if he/she commits any of the following offences:

• Dissent by word or action
• Persistent infringement on the Laws of the Game
• Delaying the restart of play (includes deliberate time-wasting tactics)
• Failure to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick, throw-in or free kick
• Entering or re-entering the field of play without the referee's permission
• Deliberately leaving the field of play without the referee's permission

In addition, a player is cautioned and shown a yellow card for "unsporting behaviour" which, according to US Soccer, includes the following:

• Commits a direct free kick foul in a reckless manner (for example, charging, pushing, tripping)
• Commits a direct free kick foul in a reckless manner while tackling for the ball from any direction
• Commits a tactical foul designed to interfere with or impede an opposing team’s attacking play (e.g., pushing an opponent, blatantly holding an opponent or an opponent's uniform, handling the ball deliberately)
• Handles the ball deliberately to score a goal
• Commits an act which, in the opinion of the referee, shows a lack of respect for the game (e.g., aggressive attitude, inflammatory behavior, or taunting)
• Fakes an injury or exaggerates the seriousness of an injury
• Fakes a foul (dives) or exaggerates the severity of a foul
• Interferes with or prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from the hands into play
• Verbally distracts an opponent during play or at a restart
• Unfairly distracts or impedes an opponent performing a throw-in
• Changes jerseys with the goalkeeper during play or without the referee's permission (both players must be cautioned)
• Engages in trickery to circumvent the goalkeeper's limitation on handling the ball played from a teammate's foot (the defender who initiates the "trickery" is cautioned, the decision does not require that the goalkeeper actually handles the ball, and the misconduct can occur during dynamic play or at a restart)
• Makes unauthorized marks on the field
• Removes the jersey or covers the face with a mask or similar device after scoring a goal
• Uses an artificial aid to unfairly assist play (for example, leaning on the shoulders of a teammate, using an article of clothing to avoid direct contact with the ball, moving or removing a corner flag on a corner kick, hanging on a crossbar)
• Uses tobacco or tobacco products in any form in the area of the field
• Beginning from the 2010 FIFA World Cup, feigning a kick during a penalty kick
• Celebrating a goal too close to the spectators after scoring a goal, as happened in the 2012-13 Barclays Premier League match on 6 October 2012 between West Ham United and Arsenal. Both Mohammed Diame and Theo Walcott were cautioned in that match. (The goal scorer will be cautioned.)

A substitute or substituted player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he/she commits any of the following three offences:

• Unsporting behaviour (as above)
• Showing dissent by word or action
• Delaying the restart of play