What is the maximum number of red cards (player sent off) that can be shown in a single game of football?

In the game of football when a referee shows you the red card, it means two things: (1) you have done some serious misconduct and (2) you will have to leave the field of play immediately.

You are not allowed to stay on your team’s bench and you will have to go straight to the locker room. After you are dismissed, your team will have to continue playing with one player less. You will be banned from the next game and, possibly, for more games to come.

FIFA does not explicitly state the limit for the number of red cards that a referee may give. However, a game must be stopped if a team plays with less than seven players. Therefore, the practical limit to a red card is four per team, a maximum of eight in a single match.

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22 Comments

Carl Wischner

Very poorly written question. Should have clarified whether they were issued to on field players. Should have clarified whether “and match can continue” If that is the case then the correct answer would be 8.

Denise Currie

Al Breyette, Doesn't work like that, no team can play with less than 7 players on the pitch

Denise Currie

DPickard, No you didn't. There are 11 players per team, no team can play with less than seven players. That means that each team could theoretically have 4 players each sent off via red card, leaving 7 per side, any more red cards and the match would be stopped. Therefore 8 is the maximum number of red cards a ref can issue

Denise Currie

Good Question and information thank you. Caught a few people out with there actually being no limit per se. But as each team can't play with less than 7 players it is only logical that 8 is the correct answer

Al Breyette

Fifa does not limit the number of red cards shown during a game.Technically every player and coach on both teams can be given a red card.

dick aspel

Complete and utter rubbish. A referee once issued 36 red cards after a game got out of control. Where does this crap stem from?.

David Gray

If 4 cards are shown to each team then they both have 7 players and so the game can continue. So the answer has to be more than 8 cards. In fact, if an incident were a brawl, for example, it could result in more than one red card being shown, and there have been instances where far more than 8 cards have been shown in a single game. The record is actually 36 red cards in one game in Argentina when all players, substitutes and coaches were dismissed!

Sal Campion

I have no interest in football at all so this was very difficult for me to answer, so I guessed and got it wrong! Lol

Val Wilkinson

This went over my head!

Albeck1994

Neil Chadwick, no both teams can continue with 7 players, therefore it is only when the 9th or more red card is issued the game must be abandoned, however if earlier red cards are issued to manager or bench there is no maximum. In fact I one game 36 red cards were issued. The qyestion is bad .

Albeck1994

Alex Channon, Alex Channon, and there in lies the rub, because to lose a 5th player a 9th red card must be issued. Therefore the answer is minimum 9, so as stated by Steve Gilbert if two players get sent off at the same time 10, therefore reasonably speaking 10 is the correct answer. However if anyone on the bench gets sent off then the figure could be higher. This is really a very bad question.

Shirley Haughton

Just a guess

Ken Jackson

The question should have stipulated 'on-field' players. In, for example, an EPL match, the match day squad comprises of 18 players, only 11 of whom are on the field at any one time. The rules of the game require a minimum of 7 players per team to remain on the field before a match needs to be abandoned. It's entirely possible for all players on both benches to red-carded, along with 4 on-field players from each team before a match has to be abandoned. That makes 22 red cards.