The A-League and W-League will this round become the first top-tier domestic competitions in the world to trial yellow and red cards for coaches and other team officials.

The aim of the experimental system is to improve the behaviour of team officials towards match officials.

The head of A-League and W-League, Greg O’Rourke, said cards for coaches would help “better communicate to fans that the referees are giving the coaches and others formal warnings”.

Referees already use their judgment to decide whether certain behaviours constitute a warning (ask), caution (tell) or dismissal (remove). “Essentially, this trial will visualise those steps,” O’Rourke said. He added that the system was important to develop “respect” for referees throughout all tiers of domestic football competition.

“It will help fans and viewers better understand the issues that match officials face on a weekly basis,” he said. “Importantly it will send a strong message throughout the game at grassroots level that poor behaviour towards match officials and opposition team officials is unacceptable and carries consequences.”

Quick Guide FFA'S guidelines for issuing cards to coaches Show Warning (no card) Persistent questioning of refereeing decisions



Minor/low level disagreement with a decision



Failing to cooperate with a match official



Entering the field of play in a respectful/non-confrontational manner



Leaving the technical area in a non-confrontational manner Caution (yellow card) Persistent repeated unacceptable behaviour or repeated warnings



Dissent by word or action including throwing or kicking objects to show dissent



Gestures like sarcastic clapping or motioning for a card to be shown



Clearly/persistently not respecting confines of the technical area



Deliberately entering the technical area of the opposing team



Delaying the restart of play by their team Dismissal (red card) Violent conduct, including throwing or kicking objects in a dangerous manner



Physical or aggressive behaviour, including spitting



Using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures



Entering the field of play to interfere with play or an opposing player



Leaving the technical area to act in a provocative or aggressive manner



Delaying the restart of play by the opposing team



Receiving a second yellow card

O’Rourke said the leagues had updated their regulations so that the consequences for accumulating yellow cards for team officials would be the same as players, meaning they would risk missing games for poor behavioural track records.

Behaviours that will draw a caution include throwing/kicking drink bottles or other objects to show dissent and gestures which show clear “lack of respect” for match officials such as “sarcastic clapping” and “not respecting the confines of their team’s technical area”. The trial, approved by the International Football Advisory Board (Ifab), is part of its global “Play Fair” initiative.