Yes, but only in one narrow case. Once the referee has decided to caution or send off a player, play must not restart until the sanction is given, unless the non-offending team takes a quick free kick, has a clear goal-scoring opportunity, and the referee has not started the disciplinary sanction procedure.
How the rule works
Under Law 12, the starting point is strict: after the referee has decided on a caution or a sending-off, play must not restart before that sanction is administered. The exception is not a general green light for a quick free kick.
All three parts are required at the same time. The free kick must be taken by the non-offending team, the team must have a clear goal-scoring opportunity, and the referee must not have started the disciplinary sanction procedure. If one part is missing, the card comes before the restart.
Quick free kicks and the card
Here is the outcome in each situation.
| Situation | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Quick free kick, clear goal-scoring opportunity, disciplinary procedure not started | Play continues; the sanction is given at the next stoppage |
| That offence had stopped a promising attack | No caution |
| That offence had denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity | Caution |
| The referee had already started the disciplinary procedure | Play is stopped or the kick retaken; the card comes first |
What happens to the card after play continues
If the exception applies, the sanction is administered at the next stoppage, and what happens then depends on what the offence had prevented.
If the offence denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, the player is cautioned at that next stoppage. If the offence interfered with or stopped a promising attack, the player is not cautioned in this quick-free-kick situation.
That difference matters because the restart is the same, while the disciplinary result is not. The nature of the offence still controls what happens next.
When the quick free kick cannot stand
If the referee has already started the disciplinary sanction procedure, the quick free kick does not get the same protection. Play will be stopped, or the kick must be retaken, and the card is dealt with first.
One example is a reckless tackle where the referee has stopped play and called the defender over for a caution. An attacker then takes a quick free kick before the yellow card is shown, and the attacking team has a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Play is still stopped because the procedure had already started and distracted the offender, and the original free kick is taken after the caution.
Another example is a quick free kick taken while the referee is moving toward the offender and taking out the yellow card. That kick must be retaken because the procedure had started and distracted the defending players.
When the offence is a second caution
When the offender has committed a second cautionable offence, the referee may only allow a quick free kick if it creates a very good chance to score and the disciplinary procedure has not been started.
In that case, the second yellow card and the red card are shown the next time play stops. If the player becomes involved in play before then, the referee stops play at once, shows the second yellow card, sends the player off, and restarts with an indirect free kick. However, if the second offence stopped a promising attack, the yellow card no longer applies and the player does not receive a second caution for it.
FAQ
Why did the referee stop a quick free kick?
One reason is that the disciplinary sanction procedure had already started: the referee had called the offender over, or was approaching the offender and taking out the yellow card. Once that has happened, play must not restart before the caution or sending-off: the referee stops play, or the kick must be retaken.
Is it still a yellow card after a quick free kick?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. If the offence denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, the player is cautioned at the next stoppage; if it stopped a promising attack, there is no caution in that quick-free-kick exception.
Can a quick free kick be taken while the referee is booking a player?
Not under this exception. Once the disciplinary sanction procedure has started, the referee stops play and the original free kick is taken after the caution, or the kick must be retaken.
What if the offence was a second yellow-card offence?
The referee may only allow the quick free kick if it creates a very good chance to score and the disciplinary procedure has not been started. If the second offence stopped a promising attack, the player does not receive a second caution for it.
What if a player due a second caution then gets involved in play?
Play is stopped immediately. The referee shows the second yellow card, sends the player off, and restarts with an indirect free kick.