FIFA have responded to proposals to hand referees blue cards in a move that would allow match officials to sin-bin players.

Current rules allow referees to hand out a yellow card as a warning, with two yellow cards equating to a red card, sending the player off.

However, the International Football Association Board will now partake in sin-bin trials, with a blue card resulting in a player being removed from play for ten minutes.

This punishment would come into effect if a player was to commit a cynical foul or show dissent towards a match official.

Similar to a yellow card, the new rules would see two blue cards equal a red card, with a combination of a blue and a yellow card also seeing a player sent off.

However, FIFA have since poured cold water on any chance of seeing blue cards at a high level in football, with only trial periods being strictly allowed.

In a statement read: "FIFA wishes to clarify that reports of the so-called 'blue card' at elite levels of football are incorrect and premature.

Trials of the new punishment could begin as early as this summer, with FA Cup and Women's FA Cup matches a potential platform for blue cards to be used.