The Story Behind Football’s Unusual White Card 😳⚽
Football fans are familiar with yellow and red cards, but a white card is something far less common.
The white card was first used in a competitive match in 2023, during a women’s fixture between Portuguese rivals Sporting CP and Benfica at the Estádio da Luz.
Benfica were leading 3-0 when someone in the dugout reportedly became unwell. Medical teams from both clubs immediately came together to help.
After the situation was handled, the referee surprisingly produced a white card and showed it towards the medical staff, receiving a positive reaction from supporters.
Unlike yellow and red cards, the white card is not a punishment. Its purpose is to recognise and reward acts of fair play, sportsmanship and positive behaviour during a match.
The initiative was introduced by the Portuguese Football Federation as part of efforts to promote ethical behaviour in football. However, the white card has not become a standard feature of the sport worldwide, as it has yet to be formally added to the official Laws of the Game by IFAB.
Football has also experimented with other unusual cards. A proposed blue card was discussed as part of plans involving temporary 10-minute sin-bin suspensions, while a green card was previously used in a CONIFA tournament to remove a player from the pitch without automatically suspending them for the next match.
More recently, purple and blue cards were trialled at the 2025 FIFA Under-20 World Cup as part of Football Video Support experiments, allowing coaches to challenge certain decisions.
So, if you ever see a referee pull out a white card, it doesn’t mean someone is being punished — it is intended to highlight a positive act of fair play. 🤍👏
