Red and yellow cards for managers and coaches
New FA rules will include cautions for misconduct on the sidelines

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
The English Football Association (FA) is cracking down on touchline misconduct in the coming season.
It has announced in a statement that managers and coaching staff could receive red and yellow cards “for misconduct committed in the technical area during specific competitions”.
The BBC reports that in the Premier League this season verbal warnings will be given for “irresponsible behaviour”, but red and yellow cards will be shown in the Football League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, EFL Trophy and National League.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The FA statement said: “This trial follows a review by the English game’s stakeholders of the pre-existing technical area code of conduct, which was established in 2015 and sets out the behaviours expected of occupants of the technical area and establishes how the match officials will implement the code.
“Touchline staff will receive disciplinary action for accumulated ‘stage one warnings’.”
How it will work
Stage one warnings and punishments
- 4 stage one warnings: one-match ban
- 8 stage one warnings: two-match ban
- 12 stage one warnings: three-match ban
- 16 stage one warnings: misconduct charge (sanction to be determined by a regulatory commission)
What is a stage one warning?
According to the FA, irresponsible behaviour includes but is not limited to:
- Inappropriate language and/or gestures towards the match officials
- Kicking or throwing water bottles, coats or other similar objects in an obvious show of dissent
- Sarcastic clapping and/or other gestures
- Entering the opponents’ technical area in an inappropriate manner
- Gesturing [or] waving an imaginary yellow/red card
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
Biden's first rodeo
cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
Biden's stumble
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
The daily gossip: Travis Kelce chats about Taylor Swift's Chiefs game visit, Hollywood writers thrilled with details of new contract as strike ends, and more
The daily gossip: September 27, 2023
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
feature After another year without a trophy, Spurs are now searching for a new manager
By The Week Staff Published
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City’s financial charges: what next for the Premier League champions?
feature The club is alleged to have breached financial rules around 100 times over a nine-year period
By Mike Starling Published
-
Can Arsenal really win the Premier League title?
feature How the pundits reacted after the Gunners’ late 3-2 victory over Man Utd
By Mike Starling Published
-
Premier League festive fixtures to cause travel ‘chaos’ for football fans
feature English top-flight has confirmed the schedule for Boxing Day and New Year games
By Mike Starling Published