Football refereeing could be heading towards a technological transformation, with Uruguay testing electronic yellow and red cards during a Copa Uruguay match between Nacional and Rentistas. Referee Eduardo Varela used a phone-sized electronic device instead of traditional coloured cards during the fixture on Thursday, October 15, as part of an experiment aimed at modernising refereeing and simplifying match administration. Nacional won the match 3-0, but the unusual device became a talking point among football fans.

The technology has been developed by REFe, a company seeking to digitise how referees record disciplinary decisions and other match incidents. Company directors Mauro Sacco and Diego de la Pena reportedly came up with the idea more than three years ago after watching a football match in rainy conditions. The experience prompted them to explore alternatives to manually recording cautions before transferring the information to digital systems.

Referee Uses Electronic Yellow And Red Cards During Match In Uruguay

The electronic device is designed to record incidents with timestamps and streamline the submission of official match records to the Uruguayan Football Association's COMET platform. By digitally documenting disciplinary decisions, the system aims to reduce referees' administrative workload and make match reporting more efficient. Varela reportedly praised the device's comfort and responsive software, although he acknowledged that using it lacked some of the excitement associated with raising a traditional yellow or red card.

However, visibility remains a significant challenge for the new technology. An earlier trial was abandoned after sunlight made the screen difficult to see. During the Nacional-Rentistas match, spectators and television viewers also struggled to distinguish some of the colours displayed on the device. The developers are now exploring improvements, including adding LED lighting around the screen to make the yellow and red signals more visible inside stadiums and on television broadcasts.

The trial has generated mixed reactions online, with fans sharing criticism, curiosity and memes about the innovation. Despite the initial response, REFe hopes to refine the technology and eventually secure adoption by South American governing body CONMEBOL and world football's governing body FIFA. The electronic cards remain in the testing phase, and their future will depend on whether the developers can overcome visibility issues while preserving the clarity and simplicity of traditional refereeing methods.