Yellow cards and red cards for Euro 2024: How many cautions before a suspension at the UEFA tournament in Germany?

Fans preparing for Euro 2024 are expecting a summer of goals and excitement as 24 teams set out on the road to potential European glory.

However, apart from goals and iconic moments, there is also the risk of player suspensions due to yellow and red cards accumulated during the tournament.

Poor results in the discipline may thwart dreams of the European Championships, potentially depriving players of the opportunity to compete in the most important matches. More serious red card offenses may result in penalties extending beyond the tournament in the most serious cases.

UEFA has modified its suspension rules ahead of the big kick-off on June 14. Europe’s governing body wanted the European Championships to be more closely aligned with European club tournaments in terms of how suspension rules were adapted.

Here, The Sporting News discusses the regulations and the impact they may have on players.

MORE: Full Euro 2024 schedule

Yellow cards for Euro 2024 and red card rules

Any yellow cards or pending yellow card suspensions incurred during the Euro 2024 qualifying or play-off phase will expire before the start of the finals. In this sense, all players start the tournament with a clean sheet.

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

Previous warnings are erased at the end of the quarter-final stage, meaning players will not run the risk of a yellow card suspension in the semi-final.

If a player receives a red card in a match, he will be automatically suspended for one match. This applies to both a direct red card and a situation where a player is sent off after receiving two yellow cards in the same match.

A simple red card carries the risk of a longer suspension. UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Committee may decide to extend the automatic one-match suspension for offenses such as aggressive conduct and other significant breaches of the rules.

Suspension rules for Euro 2024: How many yellow cards will result in a ban?

Players who receive a red card or two yellow cards in separate matches will be automatically excluded from one Euro 2024 match.

UEFA’s rules on removing yellow and red cards from the register mean that the overall risk of suspension in key matches in the later stages of Euro 2024 is reduced.

No player may be suspended beyond the quarter-final stage for accumulating yellow cards in previous rounds.

MORE: How often are Euros held and why was the last one held a year later?

Can a player be suspended for the Euro 2024 final?

Despite changes to the yellow card rules, it is still possible for a player to miss the final through suspension if he fouls the officials.

A yellow card in the quarter-finals is removed if the team qualifies, but a red card in a quarter-final match may mean a suspension in the final if a ban of two or more matches is imposed.

If a player is sent off in the semi-final, he will automatically miss the final.