How does VAR work at the 2026 World Cup?
VAR officials review goals, penalty decisions, direct red cards and mistaken identity. Referees can be called to a pitchside monitor for a final look before changing a decision.
VAR (Video Assistant Referee) is fully integrated into WC2026. Four match-incident categories are reviewable: (1) goals and the build-up to them, (2) penalty decisions, (3) direct red-card incidents (not second yellows), and (4) mistaken identity when a card is shown.
The protocol is unchanged from 2022 in principle. The VAR officials watch the broadcast feeds in a central operations room and flag potential errors to the on-field referee, who decides whether to make a pitchside review. The referee's decision after the review is final.
New for 2026: semi-automated offside technology is in use at every venue. AI-assisted limb-tracking from multiple cameras builds a 3D skeleton of every player on every frame, so offside calls take a few seconds instead of a few minutes. The visual reconstruction is also shown on the stadium big screen.
There's also a new connected-ball technology — a sensor embedded inside the official Adidas match ball that tracks the precise moment of contact. The data feeds into the VAR's offside and handball reviews, removing some of the older guesswork on the timing of a pass.
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