فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Morocco’s under-20 national team, known as the Atlas Cubs, made history on September 28, 2025, at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile by becoming the first team to use the green card in an official FIFA competition. This momentous event took place during their Group C match against Spain, which Morocco won 2-0.
What is the Green Card?
The green card is a new experimental rule introduced by FIFA at the 2025 U-20 World Cup. Unlike traditional yellow or red cards, the green card allows coaches to request a review of specific referee decisions using Football Video Support (FVS), a simplified version of VAR tailored for youth and lower-level competitions. Each team has up to two challenges per match and can use them only on clear and obvious errors in four categories: goals, penalty kicks, direct red cards, and mistaken identity. To use it, coaches physically show the green card to officials after a referee’s decision, prompting a review on a sideline monitor. Successful challenges do not count against the team’s limit.
The Historic Moment in Morocco vs. Spain
During the Group C match held at Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos in Santiago, Morocco led 2-0 when the referee awarded Spain a penalty in the 78th minute following a foul alleged on Spanish substitute Jan Virgili. Moroccan coach Mohamed Ouahbi immediately raised the green card, asking for a video review. The referee checked the footage on the pitchside monitor, which revealed that Virgili had simulated the foul. Consequently, the penalty was overturned, and Virgili received a yellow card instead. This decision preserved Morocco’s clean sheet and helped secure the upset victory.
Context and Reactions
The green card builds on prior trials conducted at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia and the Blue Stars FIFA Youth Cup in Switzerland. FIFA designed this system to promote fairness and accuracy in youth tournaments where full VAR setups may not be available.
The introduction of the green card has received widespread praise for enhancing justice in football officiating. Many fans and analysts compared Morocco’s use of the green card and victory to the senior national team’s memorable penalty shootout win over Spain at the 2022 World Cup. Nevertheless, some commentators have raised concerns about potential delays in match flow or strategic misuse of challenges, similar to other sports.
FIFA is continuing to evaluate the green card’s impact through the tournament, which runs from September 27 to October 19, 2025, with consideration for its expansion to other competitions if successful.
Summary of Green Card Rules
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Who Can Use | Head coaches only; up to two challenges per team per match |
| Reviewable Incidents | Goals, penalties, direct red cards, mistaken identity (clear errors only) |
| How It Works | Coach raises the green card after decision; referee reviews via FVS monitor |
| Challenge Outcomes | Successful challenge does not reduce total; unsuccessful challenge deducts one |
| Purpose | Improve refereeing accuracy and fairness in competitions without full VAR |
| Previous Trials | Tested at 2024 U-20 Women’s World Cup and Blue Stars FIFA Youth Cup |
This innovative system aims to maintain fairness while minimizing disruption to gameplay, especially in youth and developmental competitions.
Morocco’s groundbreaking use of the green card at the U-20 World Cup marks a significant step forward in football officiating technology and youth tournament management, highlighting the country’s growing influence on the international stage.
