- VAR Under Fire as Technology Dominates World Cup Controversies
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has showcased groundbreaking technology designed to improve refereeing decisions, but instead of ending controversy, it has sparked one of the fiercest debates in modern football.
From disputed VAR interventions to semi-automated offside decisions and ball sensor technology, officiating has become one of the tournament’s biggest talking points, with coaches, players and supporters increasingly questioning whether technology is helping or harming the game.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has championed the expansion of technology in football, but the tournament has highlighted that even advanced systems cannot eliminate controversy. Instead, several high-profile incidents have intensified scrutiny of the governing body and its refereeing standards.
One of the biggest flashpoints involved United States striker Folarin Balogun. The forward received a red card during the Americans’ Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, triggering an automatic one-match suspension. However, FIFA’s independent disciplinary committee later suspended the ban, allowing Balogun to feature in the Round of 16 against Belgium.
The decision generated widespread debate, especially after U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed he had personally contacted Infantino to ask that the punishment be reviewed. Although FIFA insisted its judicial bodies acted independently, the incident fuelled accusations of inconsistency and political interference.
VAR has also come under intense criticism during the knockout stages.
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan was among the loudest critics following his side’s dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the Round of 16. Egypt had a goal ruled out after VAR detected a foul earlier in the build-up, while the Africans believed they should also have been awarded a penalty that was never reviewed.
After the match, Hassan questioned the consistency of the system, saying his team had been treated unfairly.
FIFA’s Head of Refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, defended the officials, maintaining that VAR was correctly applied.
According to Collina, there is no time or distance limit preventing video officials from reviewing an offence if it directly influences a goal.
“A foul is a foul,” he explained, insisting that referees are expected to correct incidents they miss during live play whenever the laws permit intervention.
Originally introduced to eliminate clear and obvious mistakes, VAR has gradually expanded its role in modern football. For the 2026 World Cup, FIFA and the International Football Association Board (IFAB) authorised officials to intervene in four additional categories, significantly increasing the number of reviews.
As a result, VAR interventions at this tournament have already surpassed the totals recorded during both the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 tournament in Qatar, despite those competitions featuring only 64 matches compared to the expanded 104-game format in 2026.
Critics argue that the technology is now being used too frequently and is moving beyond its original purpose.
Network scientist Brennan Klein, whose research team has been analysing officiating decisions throughout the tournament, believes supporters have reached their limit with constant reviews.
He argued that excessive intervention risks damaging the flow of matches and suggested fans have expressed their frustration through persistent boos inside stadiums whenever lengthy VAR checks interrupt play.
Another incident that intensified the debate came during Croatia’s Round of 32 defeat to Portugal.
Josko Gvardiol appeared to have scored a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser, only for the goal to be disallowed after the tournament’s semi-automated offside technology detected a barely noticeable touch on teammate Igor Matanovic before the ball reached the defender.
The contact was so slight that many viewers could not detect it, with FIFA later explaining that an electronic sensor embedded inside the match ball identified the touch.
Croatia captain Luka Modric criticised the decision after the match, questioning whether technology was being applied consistently.
The Croatian Football Federation has since written to FIFA requesting a detailed explanation, describing the decision as an “abuse of technology” while reaffirming its general support for VAR.
Statistics from the tournament further illustrate how significantly technology has influenced officiating.
By the end of the Round of 16, 13 players had been sent off—more than three times the number recorded at comparable stages of the previous two World Cups.
Several dismissals resulted directly from VAR reviews rather than decisions made on the field, including Balogun’s red card and England defender Jarell Quansah’s sending-off after incidents initially missed by referees.
England manager Thomas Tuchel also voiced his frustration after his team’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico.
The German coach questioned why VAR overturned the referee’s original decision to award Mexico a penalty, arguing that the incident did not meet the standard of a “clear and obvious error.”
Tuchel also criticised the overall standard of officiating, suggesting both referees and fourth officials must improve despite the technological assistance available.
The growing controversy has exposed the delicate balance FIFA faces between embracing innovation and preserving football’s natural rhythm.
While governing bodies maintain that technology is improving the accuracy of decisions, many players, coaches and supporters believe its expanding influence is disrupting matches and creating new controversies rather than eliminating old ones.
With the World Cup entering its decisive stages, FIFA is expected to remain under intense scrutiny as every major refereeing decision is examined, leaving the debate over technology’s place in football far from settled.
