What is 'orange card' being proposed by IFAB, and why Luis Enrique supports it

Luis Enrique has publicly aligned himself with the idea that football must keep evolving to protect it as a spectacle, arguing that the sport “cannot be afraid of innovation” if it wants to remain compelling for fans.

Talks of innovations in the sport, especially in ways that bias attacking football, are becoming increasingly rampant. So much so that PSG boss Luis Enrique has been drawn into it. 

During the pre-match press conference for their Ligue 1 clash against Lille this weekend, the Spaniard was asked about the suggestions that an orange card be introduced into the sport, and he expressed openness, stressing that innovation was important.

"We must continue to search for things like this," Luis Enrique told reporters, per Goal. "It's important to keep evolving as a sport. As long as there are possibilities to improve, to find a more attacking football [which is] more attractive for the supporters."

An orange card is a disciplinary sanction being studied by IFAB that would sit between a yellow and a red card. The idea is that an orange card would result in a temporary dismissal (sin bin) — typically 10 minutes — for offences deemed more serious than a caution but not grave enough for a straight red, such as repeated tactical fouls, dissent, or deliberately stopping promising attacks. 

Similar sin-bin systems already exist in rugby union, rugby league, ice hockey and field hockey, where they are credited with reducing cynical play and increasing scoring opportunities. Unlike the current football system,  where a yellow has no short-term numerical impact and a red can feel overly punitive, the orange card is designed to create immediate sporting consequences without deciding the entire match. 

IFAB’s wider innovation agenda has also included interesting ideas such as Michel Platini’s proposal to reduce teams to 10 men to open more space on a football pitch and Arsène Wenger’s offside reform, which would judge attackers on any part of the body level with the last defender.

The pattern is clear with these proposed reforms; the sports’ rulemakers are looking to adapt to the fast-paced modern world with increased competitive interests and reduced attention spans. In their view, a faster, more attacking product is a more entertaining one.