QPR, Charlton Athletic and Millwall could be impacted by major EFL change

QPR, Charlton Athletic, Millwall and London football clubs in the EFL could be impacted by the introduction of blue cards into the sport in the near future.

The Telegraph today reports that the International Football Association Board (IFAB) is set to introduce a blue card to join the yellow and red punishments given by referees in the UK and across world football. The idea is still in a trial stage but it is believed the FA Cup could be offered as a vehicle for testing the change.

In the future, referees will award a blue card to any player who shows dissent to an official or commits a cynical foul. The offending player will then spend ten minutes on the sideline in the 'sin-bin' before being allowed to return to the field of play.

Should a player receive two blue cards in a match, or a combination of a blue card and yellow card, they will then be sent off - just as they would when two yellow cards result in a red card.

The change will take time to reach the EFL but once it is approved and made law by the IFAB, then the leagues will be obliged to implement the rule. UEFA has shown pushback to the idea, labelling it as 'not football', but early trials have been a success

One key example used by IFAB, which will be familiar to England fans, is that of Giorgio Chiellini's shirt pull on Bukayo Saka in the Euro 2020 foul. That cynical challenge would meet the requirements to receive a blue card and a ten-minute sin bin under new measures.

The blue card has already been successfully trialled in amateur and youth football matches in England and Wales. The colour blue has been chosen to clearly differentiate from a yellow or red card.

The Football Association of Wales had planned to use the blue card during a trial in grassroots competitions this season but failed to obtain clearance - players have still been sent to the sin-bin but with a yellow card instead.

FA Chief Executive Mark Bullingham is on the IFAB board, which first agreed to test the sin-bin format in November. The move is inspired by the success of other supporters such as rugby and aims to tackle dissent, as well as cynical fouls.