Article by Alexandru Stanciu – published Monday, September 29, 2025, 11:36 / Updated Monday, September 29, 2025 11:52
The Green card was used for the first time for a male football match, at the victory of Morocco with Spain, score 2-0, at the U20 World Championship.
The green card is an innovation from FIFA and can be used exclusively by coaches. By showing the card to the referee, the technicians can request a phase to the monitor.
Green card has been used for the first time
Mohamed Ouahbi, the selection of the U20 national national of Morocco, was the first coach to use the green card. This happened at the match with Spain U20, won with 2-0.
The selection of the Morocco showed the referee the green card in the 78th minute of the confrontation, after the “central” had dictated a punishment for Spain.
Obliged by the regulation, the referee went to the Var monitor, and after seeing the phase, he decided to cancel the punishment and showed him the yellow card for the Spanish footballer, for simulation.
“I knew it was not a penalty. I was pretty close to the phase and I realized. Even if it had not been a penalty, I would still have used my green card because now I have this possibility“, Said Mohamed Ouahbi, according to AS.com.
The green card is part of Football Video Support (FVS), an alternative to the VAR, it has been used in junior competitions and the Women's U20 World Football Championship.
The system is similar to the “challange” in tennis and American sports. The coaches have the right to request twice a match the review of a phase that involves a goal, a punishment blow or a red card.
FVS is fundamentally different from the Var system, because, in the absence of video referees and, implicitly, the automatic verification of all eligible phases and incidents, the responsibility to request a review is the main coach of the team.
FIFA has absolutely no intention to replace the lime system. On the contrary, FIFA is fully engaged to support the implementation of the lime system every time it is possible. This system has proven extremely effective.
– FIFA communicated
