Yellow and red cards or yellow and red screens? Digital bookings introduced on the pitch

Football may be heading towards one of its biggest visual transformations in decades after a South American cup match introduced a new approach to disciplinary decisions. Instead of reaching for the familiar yellow and red cards, a referee used an electronic device to manage bookings and dismissals.Uruguay has emerged as a testing ground for a potential change in how referees officiate matches. During the Copa AUF Uruguay round-of-16 tie between Nacional and Rentistas on October 15, referee Eduardo Varela abandoned the traditional coloured cards and used a handheld digital device instead.🚨🇺🇾 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Digital yellow and red cards were used for the first time during Nacional vs Rentistas in the Copa Uruguay. The referee used an electronic device instead of traditional cards to show bookings and send-offs. https://t.co/QngcgMqX4K— Pulse Sports Nigeria (@PulseSportsNG) October 16, 2026 The historic moment came at Montevideo's Gran Parque Central in the 12th minute, when Rentistas player Juan Pablo Plada became the first player to receive a digital booking after a challenge on Maxi Silvera.The innovation was developed through a partnership between the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) and a private technology company. The device, which resembles a smartphone, allows officials to display a bright yellow or red screen at the press of a button, clearly communicating the disciplinary decision to players and spectators.However, the project goes beyond simply replacing physical cards with a digital alternative. It is part of a broader effort to modernise match administration by connecting decisions made on the pitch with the competition's official records in real time.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Marcelo De Leon, a refereeing official, highlighted the potential benefits of the system, particularly when it comes to improving the speed and accuracy of match reporting. The long-term ambition is to make information available immediately to football authorities and eventually to international media organisations.By linking the device to the competition management platform used throughout Uruguayan football, the system can automatically record key events as they occur, including yellow and red cards, substitutions, goals and penalties. If the trial proves successful, this technology could represent an important step towards a more digitally integrated future for football officiating.17.00: (1.25) Man.City (6.50) Ipswich (10.0)