LONDON, June 1: Video assistant referees (VAR) will wield expanded powers at this summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup, with authority to intervene if a foul is committed immediately before a corner or free kick is taken, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) has confirmed.
The clarification to the VAR protocol means that if an attacking player commits an offence before the ball is in play, and it directly affects a goal, penalty, or disciplinary decision, referees can review the incident and order the set-piece to be retaken.
FIFA’s chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina highlighted England’s equaliser against Uruguay in March as an example of a goal that would not stand under the new rules. He argued that Adam Wharton’s block on defender Jose Maria Gimenez before the corner unfairly allowed Ben White to score. “We are convinced that this goal cannot stand; it is completely unfair,” Collina said.
The expanded VAR remit will also cover mistaken identity in yellow cards, wrongful second bookings leading to red cards, and errors in awarding corners instead of goal-kicks.
Separately, FIFA is seeking to curb teams exploiting injury stoppages to hold tactical discussions. While referees currently lack formal sanctions, Collina said officials will act “proactively” to prevent players from leaving the pitch during treatment breaks. “The goalkeeper has the right to be injured, but the players do not have the right to leave the field of play to have some sort of time out with their respective coaches,” he explained.
Although IFAB has yet to agree on disciplinary measures, Collina stressed that referees will be alert to such tactics and rely on players’ cooperation. “We told them, ‘Be aware that we know,’” he said, adding that future solutions are being considered.
BERNAMA-PA Media/dpa