In Portugal, a white card has never before been given during a football game.
The incident occurred on Saturday during a women’s cup game between Sporting Lisbon and Benfica, when medical personnel from both teams raced to assist a supporter who had fainted in the stands as Benfica led 3-0 at the half. The card was then displayed to both teams by referee Catarina Campos.
The action honors and recognizes fair play. There were cheers and applause coming from the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon. The Portuguese Football Federation has adopted the cards, which were launched as a project of Portugal’s National Plan for Ethics in Sport to promote fair play.
In order to go to the semifinals, Benfica triumphed 5-0.
15,032 spectators attended the game, breaking the previous record of 14,221 established in May of last year, and breaking the attendance record for women’s football in Portugal.
Although the usage of the white card in the game on Saturday was applauded, it is unclear how fans will respond to their use if it is implemented more frequently. Following a FIFA mandate, stoppage time was extended at the conclusion of each half during the World Cup in Qatar to make up for “unnatural lost time.”
The addition of stoppages for player time-wasting, injury treatment, protracted goal celebrations, substitutions, VAR interventions, and yellow or red cards.