FIFA has brought in major changes to its Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system for the remainder of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, moving VAR officials to each of the remaining stadiums following growing criticism of its handling of the game.The new protocol came into force from Thursday’s quarter-final between France and Morocco and marks a major change in the refereeing process of the game. Until now, every VAR decision was handled remotely from FIFA’s Video Operation Room at the International Broadcast Center (IBC) in Dallas, Texas.The governing body emphasizes that the change is designed to strengthen the credibility of the profession rather than change the decision-making process, but it comes after a series of controversies that put the standards of judges under intense scrutiny.
How FIFA’s new VAR will work
Under the revised plan, FIFA will station a VAR official and a VAR supervisor inside each stadium for the entire tournament.Previously, all commentary was done from the International Broadcast Center in Dallas, where officials monitor every game remotely. Although the Dallas stadium is still the first place for VAR, the newly appointed officials will act as an extra layer of protection in case of any communication or technical problems between the stadium and the center of operations.During the quarterfinal between France and Morocco, Uruguayan official Leodan González was appointed as the first VAR, while Nicaragua’s Tatiana Guzmán served as the backup VAR at Boston Stadium.
Kylian Mbappe of France speaks with Referee Facundo Tello, right, and assistant referee Juan Pablo Belatti, left, and Gabriel Chade, all three from Argentina, during the World Cup soccer match between France and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
When the communication with the Dallas stadium is interrupted, the officials inside the stadium will continue to evaluate what happened, which will help the referee to make a clear decision without disrupting the game.FIFA rules already state that matches cannot be stopped due to failure of VAR technology. Additional officials at the venue want to minimize the risk of technical problems affecting matches during the final stages of the tournament.Thursday’s match also featured an experienced Argentine team, led by referee Facundo Tello along with assistant players Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade, DarÃo Herrera acted as fourth and Christian Navarro as reserve assistant.
The change follows criticism after controversial Round of 16 matches
The change comes after a series of knock-out games that have sparked controversy over the judges’ selections.Argentina’s stunning 3-2 win over Egypt was a tough one. Egypt manager Hossam Hassan launched a surprise attack on French referee François Letexier after the match, accusing him of favoring the world’s most dominant players.“The judge is unjust, God is sufficient for me and keeps things well.” He is destroying the efforts of the entire nation. The cup is headed for Argentina,” Hassan told reporters.“This was a very visible match and the whole world saw it.”Egypt’s player, Mostafa Ziko reiterated the complaint after the defeat.“The referee was not good, he was unfair. His unfairness was obvious. He abused us from the beginning of the game. He doesn’t want us to win.”
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan argues with referee Francois Letexier, of France, during the World Cup Round of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Egypt in Atlanta, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
England manager Thomas Tuchel also criticized the performance of the players following his side’s Round of 16 win against Mexico, where defender Jarell Quansah was sent off.“It’s not good,” Tuchel said.“No [the referee] he can send any team at any time. It’s not good enough. It’s inconsistent, it’s unreliable in matches. ““Now we have two fourth officers who just yell at you if you take one foot off the training ground. It’s not good enough.”The discrepancy sparked controversy among followers, with some taking to social media to falsely claim that some matches had been tampered with.
Collina defends officials as FIFA tightens referee system
Despite the criticism, FIFA has strongly supported its critics.Referee chief Pierluigi Collina has publicly defended the integrity of World Cup officials while agreeing that refereeing decisions will remain part of football’s wider debate.“Of course, constructive discussions during elections are always part of football, but nonsense has no place in our game,” Collina said.“No one can question the integrity of FIFA World Cup officials. If this happens, it will create threats to them and their families. This is not right.”“Similarly, no one can say that the FIFA referees can influence anyone, not even the FIFA president.”FIFA has not linked the introduction of VAR officials on the pitch to any incident, maintaining that the revised system was designed to provide greater safety rather than to change their own system.With the World Cup now entering its final stages, football’s governing body hopes that the revamped VAR system will focus on matches as the competition progresses into the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.