Top News

Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will operate under enhanced authority during the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, allowing them to intervene in situations where fouls occur immediately before the ball is put into play during set-pieces, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) has confirmed.

Under the revised guidelines, VAR officials will be empowered to step in if a clear foul committed by an attacking player before the ball becomes active directly influences a goal, penalty decision, or disciplinary outcome.

In an official statement, IFAB explained: “The IFAB has approved a clarification to the VAR protocol for use during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, covering clear offences committed by the attacking team prior to the ball being in play at a corner kick or free kick, which have a direct impact on a goal, penalty kick, or disciplinary sanction.”

“If the offence satisfies the criteria outlined in this clarification, the VAR will recommend an on-field review. If, after review, the referee determines that the offence occurred before the ball was in play, the appropriate disciplinary action will be applied, and the corner or free kick will be retaken.”

Before the formal announcement, Pierluigi Collina—former elite referee and now FIFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer as well as Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee—cited England’s equaliser in their 1-1 friendly draw against Uruguay in March as a goal that would likely be disallowed under the new directive.

Collina argued that Ben White’s goal should not have stood because Adam Wharton appeared to block Uruguay defender Jose Maria Gimenez from contesting the ball just before the corner was taken.

“We are convinced that this goal cannot stand—it is completely unfair,” Collina remarked. “If a foul is committed just before the ball is in play, we are certain that no one can object to corrective action being taken.”

The VAR’s role was already set to expand from this summer, with officials authorised to review red cards arising from an incorrect second booking, mistaken identity involving a second yellow card, and to intervene if a corner kick was wrongly awarded instead of a goal kick.

FIFA is also seeking to curb the increasing tendency of teams to exploit injury stoppages to disrupt play or hold tactical discussions during on-field treatment breaks.

Although IFAB discussed this issue in March without reaching a consensus, Collina revealed that it was revisited during a workshop attended by the head coaches of all 48 nations participating in this year’s World Cup.

While referees currently lack formal sanctions to deter such behaviour, Collina stressed that match officials will adopt a “proactive” approach to prevent teams from unfairly using injuries to gain tactical advantages.

He explained, “We will not permit teams to go to the benches when a goalkeeper is down injured. The goalkeeper has every right to receive treatment, but players do not have the right to leave the field to have impromptu discussions with their coaches.”

Collina added, “Unfortunately, we did not achieve a shared solution on disciplinary measures, and IFAB has not implemented any new decision for this season. However, something will certainly be done in the future. For now, we rely on players’ understanding of the issue.”

“We told them, ‘Be aware that we know,’ so what we can prevent is all players leaving the pitch simultaneously. Captains and coaches play a key role here, and referees will be ready to manage such situations if they occur.”