What do yellow and red cards mean in volleyball?
A · Advanced · Time-outs, substitutions, cards and officials · 7 of 8A yellow card is a formal warning with no penalty. A red card is a penalty: a point and the serve to the opponents. Red and yellow shown together is expulsion for the rest of the set. Red and yellow shown separately is disqualification for the rest of the match.
How it works
| Level | Shown by | For | Consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warning, stage 1 | Words to the game captain | Minor misconduct | None |
| Warning, stage 2 | Yellow card | Minor misconduct | None; recorded. The team has reached the sanctioning level |
| Penalty | Red card | First rude conduct | A point and service to the opponents |
| Expulsion | Red and yellow together | First offensive conduct, or second rude conduct by the same person | Out for the rest of the set, in the dressing room |
| Disqualification | Red and yellow separately | First aggression, second offensive conduct or third rude conduct by the same person | Out for the rest of the match |
- Rude conduct is acting against good manners. Offensive conduct is insulting words or gestures. Aggression is a physical attack or threatening behaviour.
- Expulsion and disqualification bring no point penalty of their own.
- Sanctions are personal, last the whole match and get heavier each time for the same person.
- An expelled or disqualified player on court must be substituted at once.
- A coach can be sanctioned in the same way, and an expelled coach may not intervene for the rest of the set.
- Misconduct between sets is penalised in the next set.
Tricky cases
Does a yellow card cost a point?
No. A yellow card is a warning. A red card costs a point and the serve.
Is a red card a sending-off, as in football?
No. A red card alone is a penalty point. Being removed needs red and yellow shown together or separately.
Can an expelled player come back?
Yes, in the next set. A disqualified player may not return in the match.
Why the rule exists
A scale with a point penalty in the middle lets the referee punish bad behaviour in proportion, without having to remove a player for a first offence.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FIVB rules | As above | V 20; V 21 |
| Suspensions from later matches | Set by each competition | Not covered |
From the rule book
FIVB Official Volleyball Rules 2025-2028, Rules 20 and 21. Checked 13 October 2026. Official document: FIVB Official Volleyball Rules (PDF).