UEFA's Stricter Referee Policies Spike Yellow Cards at Euro Championship

Stricter referee actions on tactical fouls have led to a significant increase in yellow cards shown at the Euro Championship, according to UEFA's head of match officials. The number of yellow cards during the group-stage games escalated due to crackdowns on dissent and tactical fouls.

UEFA's clampdown on tactical fouls and player dissent has triggered a notable rise in yellow cards issued during the European Championship, announced Roberto Rosetti, UEFA's managing director of referees. Increased vigilance on tactical fouls has seen yellow cards shoot up to 166 in 36 group-stage matches, compared to just 98 in the previous tournament.

A push to reduce backchat towards referees, exemplified by Cristiano Ronaldo receiving a booking, further pushed this number. Fernandinho's style of breaking counterattacks has been a point of focus in this crackdown. UEFA's directive that only team captains may engage referees has also led to 19 yellow cards for dissent compared to 10 in Euro 2020's group stage.

The policy aims to prevent the intimidation of referees through mobbing tactics, with referees employing new warning gestures to keep players at bay. Rosetti shared a heightened sense of referee alertness to tactical fouls—35 yellow cards have been shown for such offenses in Germany, a significant jump from Euro 2020.

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