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Fans gearing up for Euro 2024 are expecting a summer full of goals and excitement as 24 teams start out on the road to potential European glory.
However, alongside goals and iconic moments, there is also the risk of player suspensions through yellow and red cards accumulated throughout the tournament.
A poor disciplinary record can wreck a European Championship dream, potentially denying players the chance to compete in the most significant matches. More serious red-card offences can, in the most serious cases, lead to punishments that extend beyond the tournament.
UEFA tweaked their suspension rules ahead of the big kickoff on June 14. Europe’s governing body looked to make the European Championships more closely aligned to European club tournaments in terms of how it adapts suspension rules.
Here, The Sporting News runs through the regulations and how players could be affected.
MORE: The full schedule for Euro 2024
Euro 2024 yellow cards, red card rules
Any yellow cards, or pending yellow-card suspensions, that were accrued during the qualifying or playoff phase for Euro 2024 expire before the start of the finals. In that sense, all players begin the tournament with a clean slate.
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 is yellow-carded in his nation’s first two group games, he will be suspended for their third.
Previous cautions are wiped at the end of the quarterfinal stage, meaning players will not carry the risk of a yellow-card suspension into the semifinal.
If a player receives a red card in a game, they will incur an automatic one-match suspension. This applies either to a straight red card, or if they are sent off after being shown two yellow cards in the same match.
A straight red card carries the risk of a longer suspension. The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body can decide to extend the automatic one-game ban for offences such as violent conduct and other significant rule breaches.
Suspension rules at Euro 2024: How many yellow cards earn a ban?
Players who earn a red card, or two yellow cards over separate matches, are automatically banned for one Euro 2024 match.
UEFA’s rules over yellow and red cards being removed from the record mean the overall suspension risk is reduced for crucial games in the latter stages of Euro 2024.
No player can be suspended beyond the quarterfinal stage for yellow-card accumulation in the previous rounds.
MORE: How often do the Euros take place, and why was the last one a year late?
Can a player be suspended for the Euro 2024 final?
Despite the changes to yellow card rules, there are still ways to miss the final through suspension, if a player falls foul of the officials.
A yellow card in the quarterfinal is deleted if a team qualifies, but a red card in a quarterfinal game can mean a suspension for the final if a ban of two or more games is handed out.
If a player is sent off in the semifinal, they will automatically miss the final.