Digital Yellow and Red Cards Make Football Debut in Uruguay
- Digital Card Debut in Uruguay: On October 16, 2026, referee Eduardo Varela utilized a smartphone-like digital device to issue cautions and send-offs in a Copa AUF Uruguay match, marking the first use of digital yellow and red cards in football.
- Device Functionality and Workflow Integration: Developed by AUF and REFe, the handheld unit features physical buttons for cards, a touchscreen for player selection, and instantly logs offenses, syncing match reports in real-time with the AUF's COMET platform to digitize the referee's administrative tasks.
- Experimental Phase and Practical Hurdles: While the system successfully debuted, it encountered practical issues such as screen visibility in sunlight and from a distance, remaining in an experimental phase as physical cards continue to be the standard under IFAB Laws.
Football may be on the verge of replacing one of its most iconic physical accessories: the referee's yellow and red cards. In an unprecedented move on October 16, 2026, referee Eduardo Varela used a smartphone-like digital device to caution and send off players during a Copa AUF Uruguay round-of-16 clash between Nacional and Rentistas at the Gran Parque Central.
Digital Yellow and Red Cards
Developed through a collaboration between the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) and domestic tech company REFe, the device is designed to digitize the referee's entire administrative workflow.
The lightweight handheld unit features two dedicated physical buttons for yellow and red cards. When pressed, the screen lights up brightly in the corresponding color, displaying the sanction to the player, spectators, and television broadcast.
After showing the color, the referee simply selects the sanctioned player's squad number on the touchscreen. The system instantly logs the offense with a timestamp and syncs the match report in real time with the AUF's COMET platform, completely eliminating the need to stop and write notes on paper. Operating on offline local connectivity, the unit functions without requiring venue Wi-Fi and can also register goals, substitutions, and penalties.
The fixture saw the very first virtual yellow card brandished in the 12th minute to Rentistas midfielder Juan Pablo Plada, before defender Nahuel Gelos received a virtual red card in the 89th minute. However, the initial roll-out has encountered some practical hurdles.
An earlier daytime trial in a match between Defensor Sporting and Plaza Colonia had to be scrapped because sunlight washed out the screen, and even under floodlights, reading the color from long distances raised visibility concerns that developers plan to address with upgraded LED panels.
For now, the system remains strictly in an experimental phase and physical cards remain the standard under IFAB Laws of the Game. Nonetheless, images of Varela holding up an illuminated screen quickly went viral across social media, sparking heated debate among fans and officials over whether traditional plastic cards really need a high-tech overhaul.
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