The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has postponed its decision to introduce blue cards as a representation of a sin-bin offense in soccer, according to The Times. The delay comes after FIFA, the governing body of world soccer, issued a statement clarifying that reports of the "blue card" at elite levels of the sport are incorrect and premature.

The proposed blue card, which would be the first new card introduced since 1970, was chosen over orange to ensure distinction from the existing yellow and red cards. It would serve as a penalty for offenses deemed more severe than those receiving a yellow card, but less severe than a red card.

IFAB had previously approved a sin-bin trial in November, allowing referees to penalize players who commit such offenses by sitting out a match for 10 minutes. However, there is currently no timeline for implementing the trial.

The FA has offered to experiment with the blue card rule change in the 2024-25 season of the FA Cup and Women's FA Cup. Meanwhile, MLS has also expressed interest in testing the concept, while UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has stated that this summer's Euros will not serve as a testing ground, citing concerns about the impact on the game.

The proposed rule change has sparked debates among traditionalists and experts. CBS Sports rules expert Christina Unkel believes that if the blue card works effectively, it could lead to a smoother game and reduce fouls falling within the blue card category.

Sin-bins have previously been tested in England's grassroots game during the 2019-20 season. The trial, using yellow cards and a specific hand gesture by referees, was considered a success, with high approval ratings from players, managers, and referees. It resulted in a significant decrease in dissent, which triggered the push for the introduction of sin-bins.

As of now, the IFAB has not announced a specific date or location for the trial run of sin-bins in professional soccer. The organization is also working on accelerating the implementation of a rule change where only team captains can communicate with referees, aiming to tackle player behavior issues described as potentially "the cancer that kills football."

The decision on the blue card trial and other related rule changes will be discussed at the IFAB Annual General Meeting on March 2, with the goal of responsibly testing these changes at lower levels of the sport.