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Football — also known as soccer — is called The beautiful game for good reason: it unites people and provides entertainment through high-pace dribbling, fancy footwork, impeccable athleticism and, at times, spectacular passes and goals. However, the game also includes an ugly side — from reckless or violent tackles, to tactical fouls that deny obvious goalscoring opportunities, to blatant unsportsmanlike conduct. Such conduct may include classless dissent or verbal abuse toward match officials, fights and, most unfortunately, discriminatory language.
Such incidents result in either a warning from match officials, a yellow card or — most severely — a red card. The latter may entail a video review by the main referee — courtesy of video assistant referee — prior to the fateful decision. For newcomers to the game, a yellow card serves as a warning and a red card is an immediate expulsion from the match, resulting in a one-match suspension at the very least; the length of these suspensions vary based on the severity of the incident that led to the red card. A player who accumulates two yellow cards in a single match is also expelled and generally serves a one-match suspension. In such cases, the suspension is usually limited to one match because the second yellow is typically the result of a less severe offence than a one stemming from a direct red card.
Players receive direct red cards for violent tackles — including those involving studs above the ankle level or two feet while lunging into the player, and deliberate elbow swings or head-butts to any part of the body. Other offences worthy of a red card include verbal abuse to match officials, discriminatory language toward any individual or denying an opponent an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
Although red cards occur sporadically, when accounting for 18 to 20 clubs in a league, they accumulate rather quickly (more often than anyone would like). Moreover, the accumulation of red cards — as well as yellow cards — affects a club’s fair-play score, which in turn influences its reputation and chances of earning fair-play awards, both on an individual level for players and on a collective level for the club.
To better understand clubs’ discipline, we have released our first Major League Soccer (MLS) red card tracker, one day following the 18th matchday of the 2026 regular season. (There are 34 total matchdays in one regular season campaign.) The 2026 MLS Red Card Tracker is inspired from our 2025-26 Red Card Tracker and our 2026 World Cup Yellow Card and Red Card Tracker.
The figure below shows the MLS clubs that have received at least one red card — which include both direct red cards and red cards accumulated via a second yellow card — since the start of the 2026 MLS regular season. San Diego FC lead all MLS clubs with eight red cards, six of which are direct reds. FC Cincinnati and Houston Dynamo each have seven red cards. However, Houston have accumulated two direct reds, while Cincinnati have received only one. Regarding the three Canadian MLS clubs — CF Montréal, Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC — Toronto lead with three red cards, all of which are direct reds. Montréal and Vancouver have accumulated two and one red card, respectively.
Despite being merely weeks away from the end of the 2026 MLS regular season, Columbus Crew and New England Revolution have yet to receive a red card in MLS action this season. Most impressive!
2026 MLS Red Card Tracker
Includes data from Major League Soccer action only; excludes Canadian Championship, Campeones Cup, Leagues Cup and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Columbus Crew, FC Dallas and New England Revolution have not received a red card so far this season.
The figure was last updated on October 4, 2026.
Source: Transfermarkt
