Yellow cards, red card rules at the 2024 European Championship: How many warnings are there before the suspension at the UEFA tournament in Germany?

Fans preparing for Euro 2024 were expecting a summer of goals and excitement as 24 teams vie for potential European glory, and so far they have not been disappointed.

However, in addition to goals and iconic moments, there is also the risk of players being banned due to yellow and red cards that accumulate over the course of the tournament.

A poor disciplinary record can destroy the dream of playing in the European Championships and potentially deny players the chance to play in the most important matches. More serious infringements, involving a red card, can lead to punishments that extend beyond the tournament in the most serious cases.

UEFA has adjusted its rules for match suspensions before the big kick-off on June 14. The European football association wanted to bring the European Championships more into line with European club tournaments in terms of adjusting the rules for match suspensions.

Here, The Sporting News goes through the rules and explains how they could impact players.

MORE: The full schedule for Euro 2024

Rules for yellow and red cards at the 2024 European Championship

Any yellow cards or impending suspensions acquired during the qualifying or play-off phases of the Euro 2024 will expire before the start of the final tournament. In this sense, all players will begin the tournament with a clean sheet.

During the tournament, players will be suspended for one match if they receive two yellow cards in two separate matches, and again if they receive four yellow cards. For example, if Player A receives a yellow card in his national team’s first two group matches, he will also be suspended for the third match.

Previous cautions will be erased at the end of the quarter-final round so that players do not run the risk of a yellow card suspension in the semi-finals.

If a player receives a red card in a match, he is automatically suspended for one match. This applies either to a direct red card or if the player is sent off after receiving two yellow cards in the same match.

A direct red card carries the risk of a longer suspension. The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body can decide to extend the automatic suspension by one match for violations such as violent behaviour and other serious breaches of the rules.

Suspension rules at the 2024 European Championship: How many yellow cards do you need to receive to get a suspension?

Players who receive a red card or two yellow cards in two separate matches will automatically be suspended for one match at the 2024 European Championship.

UEFA’s rules on removing yellow and red cards from the record will reduce the overall risk of suspension for crucial matches in the final stages of EURO 2024.

No player can be suspended beyond the quarter-finals because he has received repeated yellow cards in the previous rounds.

MORE: How often does the European Championship take place and why was the last one held a year later?

Can a player be banned from the 2024 European Championship final?

Despite the changes to the yellow card rules, there are still opportunities to miss the final due to suspension if a player gets into trouble with the referees.

A yellow card in the quarter-finals is erased if a team qualifies, but a red card in a quarter-final match can result in a suspension for the final if a suspension of two or more matches is imposed.

If a player is sent off in the semi-finals, he automatically misses the final.