The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is set to introduce a blue card in professional football as part of sin-bin trials.
According to reports on Thursday, the IFAB will announce the development as part of new measures that will see players removed from play for 10 minutes if they commit a cynical foul or show dissent towards a match official.
It is learnt that officials will carry blue cards which if shown to culpable players would result in a spell of 10 minutes in the sin bin.
The body has been looking at ways of improving player behaviour on the pitch, while also seeking to find a balance for incidents that do not match the threshold for a red card but warrant more than a yellow card.
This development will introduce a fresh aspect to player dismissals, with individuals facing expulsion if they accumulate two blue cards during a match or a combination of a blue and a yellow card.
Also, trials at the elite level could commence as early as the summer, although top-tier competitions will not initially participate in the testing phase.
This implies that FA Cup and Women’s FA Cup matches may be included in trials, with the FA reportedly considering to volunteer next season’s competitions for testing.
If the blue card gets introduced, it would be the first change to on-field punishments since red and yellow cards were introduced at the 1970 World Cup.
It was reportedly introduced by English referee Ken Aston during the FIFA World Cup in Mexico.