UEFA has issued a directive for Euro 2024, stipulating that only team captains will be permitted to engage with referees regarding game decisions. Players who violate this rule risk receiving a yellow card.
Roberto Rosetti, UEFA’s managing director of refereeing, stated, “In an effort to enhance the current state of affairs, UEFA aims for referees to provide more explanation for their decisions to all participating teams at the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 tournament.”
He further elaborated, “The implementation is straightforward: teams are required to ensure that only their captain communicates with the referee. It is imperative for captains to prevent teammates from approaching or surrounding the referee, facilitating direct and respectful discourse for decision clarification.”
This initiative by UEFA mirrors the trials introduced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) earlier this year, which limited interactions between players and referees to team captains in specific instances.
Euro 2024, hosted in Germany, will commence with a match between Germany and Scotland on Friday, 14 June.
Rosetti emphasized, “Any player disregarding their captain’s authority or displaying disrespect or dissent toward the referee will face disciplinary action in the form of a yellow card.”
He noted, “In cases where the captain is a goalkeeper, an outfield player must be designated to fulfill this role in instances occurring at the opposite end of the pitch.”
