<p>The 2024 Copa America brought about a new addition: a pink card. Everyone knows about the yellow card and red card. The yellow is for a caution, indicating to players that if they keep making cynical challenges, they will not be allowed to play. That leads to red cards, which are indications of ejections from games. This comes from two yellow cards for one player or challenges and altercations that severely go against the nature of the game.</p>



<p>A pink card is different from those two cards. Rather than cautioning or sanctioning players, a referee’s pink card indicates a concussion substitution. Teams must report that they are making a substitution based on a player suffering “suspected cranioencephalic trauma and concussion,” according to CONMEBOL. Rather than referees brandishing a card, teams will provide the fourth official with a pink card to differentiate the substitution.</p>



<p>Teams at <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/copa-america-tv-schedule/">Copa America</a> are allowed five fixed substitutions per game. Showing a pink card to bring a player out due to head trauma will allow teams to keep all five of their substitutions. In other words, concussion replacements will not affect a team’s five changes. Players earning a pink card will have to immediately go back to the team’s dressing room to receive medical treatment. Additionally, the doctor who detected the injury, and thus forced the substitution, has a role. He or she must send a signed medical evaluation for a concussion to the CONMEBOL medical team. This shows that the player is either cleared to play. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240526_WST_508824_Pulisic-concussion-1200x670_cffa092c.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-508857" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Pulisic-concussion-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Pulisic-concussion-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Pulisic-concussion-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Pulisic-concussion.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<h2>Pink card at Copa America is concentrated effort to fight concussions</h2>



<p>The pink card is making its debut at the Copa America. However, after July 1, FIFA will universally launch the cards. Therefore, you will be seeing more teams issue pink cards to bring players off for substitutions in the future. The Copa America is merely the first look into how it will operate. </p>



<p>FIFA has made a more concentrated effort to <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/concussion-symptoms-3x-higher-in-soccer-players-who-head-ball-20170201-CMS-201725.html">fight concussions in soccer</a>. Head injuries have continued to be a major problem throughout the game. In response, leagues across the globe have worked to allow teams to bring players suffering from concussion symptoms off. For example, the Premier League allows ‘additional permanent concussion substitutions,’ with clear guidelines to follow to determine if a player requires a change. </p>



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<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="How to watch COPA AMERICA on TV and Streaming 🏆" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vOz11yQfAfY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
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<p>Much like the Premier League’s rules, the Copa America pink card does not provide an advantage. Other rules maintain level competition between teams, even if one team has a player suffer a head injury. In other words, one team using a pink card for a concussion substitution opens the door for the rival team to have an additional substitution. Therefore, both teams would have access to six replacements, rather than the standard five that CONMEBOL allows at the Copa America.</p>



<p>Again, the decision comes down to team doctors. Upon evaluating a player suffering from a head injury, the team will inform the fourth official. In essence, the pink card is a way to clarify when teams use a concussion substitute.</p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em></p>



<div style="background:#f9e4ea;padding:10px;">
<h3>Copa América 2024</h3>
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Here are some resources to get you ready for Copa!</div>
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<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/copa-america-tv-schedule/"><strong>Copa América Schedule:</strong></a> Full schedule of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/copa-america-tv-schedule/">all games</a> for the 2024 tournament</div>
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<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/copa-america-pits-usa-against-uruguay-panama-and-bolivia-20231208-WST-475848.html"><strong>The Groups:</strong></a> We break down <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/copa-america-pits-usa-against-uruguay-panama-and-bolivia-20231208-WST-475848.html">each Copa América group</a></div>
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<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/copa-america-2024-bracket-free-download-20231208-WST-473617.html"><strong>Tournament Bracket:</strong></a> Track the action with our <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/copa-america-2024-bracket-free-download-20231208-WST-473617.html">FREE printable Copa bracket</a></div>
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<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/where-to-watch-copa-america-on-us-tv/"><strong>How to watch:</strong></a> Information on <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/where-to-watch-copa-america-on-us-tv/">where to find the games</a> on TV and streaming</div>
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<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/how-to-stream-copa-america-2024-20240107-WST-481040.html"><strong>How to Stream</strong></a> Learn how you can <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/how-to-stream-copa-america-2024-20240107-WST-481040.html">stream Copa games</a> live in 2024</div>
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<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/copa-america-dates-20231127-WST-473122.html"><strong>Key Dates:</strong></a> Learn <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/copa-america-dates-20231127-WST-473122.html">All the important dates</a> to mark on your calendar</div>
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<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/2024-copa-america-to-be-hosted-in-united-states-20230127-WST-417271.html"><strong>Copa (United States of) América:</strong></a> South America&apos;s biggest tournament <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/2024-copa-america-to-be-hosted-in-united-states-20230127-WST-417271.html">comes back to the USA</a></div>
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<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/biggest-soccer-events-in-2024-mark-your-calendars-20231025-WST-464504.html"><strong>2024 Soccer Calendar:</strong></a> Get the lowdown on what will be <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/biggest-soccer-events-in-2024-mark-your-calendars-20231025-WST-464504.html">a busy year in soccer</a></div>
</div>

What is the pink card in Copa America?

The 2024 Copa America brought about a new addition: a pink card. This helps to combat the rising number of head injuries.

<p>CONMEBOL have made history by announcing that the 2024 Copa America would include female referees for the very first time. With this decision, soccer has reached a major turning point in its fight for gender parity.</p>



<p>The tournament, scheduled from <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/copa-america/copa-america-2024-streaming-and-tv-details-and-schedule/">June 20 to July 14</a> in the United States, will include a total of 101 match officials, of which eight will be women.</p>



<p>Brazilian Edina Alves and American Maria Victoria Penso are two of these pioneers who will be acting as referees. Video assistant referee Tatiana Guzman of Nicaragua will be there to help them out.</p>



<p>As for the assistant referees, the roster includes Brazilian Neuza Back, Colombian Mary Blanco, Venezuelan Migdalia Rodriguez, and Americans Kathryn Nesbitt and Brooke Mayo. All of them have already shown their credibility on a global scale.</p>



<p>For instance, in 2021, Alves became the first female referee to officiate a Men’s Club World Cup. Back and Nesbitt, meanwhile, were referees for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="432" height="277" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240525_WST_509106_image-40_4cf3b832.webp&amp;width=432&amp;height=277" alt="" class="wp-image-509146" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/image-40.png 432w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/image-40-300x192.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px"></figure><figcaption>Copa America is breaking ground in 2024</figcaption></figure>



<h2>What did CONMEBOL say?</h2>



<p>This move further demonstrates the organization’s dedication to advancing women in soccer careers and achieving gender equality. </p>



<p>The organization made a point to emphasize its initiatives since 2016 to encourage women to pursue careers in sports and other fields of study in a statement.</p>



<p>“It is a high commitment taken by CONMEBOL since 2016, betting on the development and professionalization of more women on and off the field of play, promoting soccer with equality in different tournaments”, they <a href="https://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/_/id/40212551/copa-america-feature-first-female-referees-assistants" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stated</a>.</p>



<p>In addition to the inclusion of female referees, the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/copa-america-tv-schedule/">2024 Copa America</a> will also feature officials from UEFA, the governing body for European soccer. As part of an agreement between CONMEBOL and UEFA, this partnership will help increase the variety and caliber of the tournament’s referees.</p>



<p>On the sidelines, Copa America will have Italian official Maurizio Mariani, assistants Daniele Brindoni and Alberto Tegoni. VAR officials Marco Di Bello and Alejandro Di Paolo will also be present.</p>



<h2>Another unique novelty</h2>



<p>Incorporating female referees into the Copa America 2024 tournament is a huge step forward for women’s soccer. It does double duty by paving the way for future big tournaments and by promoting gender equality.</p>



<p>Copa America also offers another novelty. They have taken a bold step toward player safety by introducing a pink card for the 2024 Copa America. By outlining a specific procedure for concussion substitutes, this novel approach seeks to tackle the grave problem of head injuries in soccer.</p>



<p>In fact, in addition to the usual yellow and red cards, officials will also use pink cards. It means a player may have suffered a concussion or other head injury and another player has to replace him. To further emphasize the importance of player health and safety, CONMEBOL adopted this additional regulation before the event.</p>



<p>After a player is pink-carded for a suspected concussion, a sixth substitute may be used in games. In order to signal a substitute, the team’s coach must notify either the primary referee or the fourth official. They will thereafter display the pink card.</p>



<p>To keep things even, the other side will also get an extra replacement. This means that in the event of a player’s head injury, both teams might use an extra substitute. Under the pink card rule, a player can’t come back onto the pitch after being replaced.</p>



<p>Photo credit: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire</p>

Female referees to make historic debut at Copa America

CONMEBOL have made history by announcing that the 2024 Copa America would include female referees for the very first time.

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