VAR

VAR (Video Assistant Referee) is a system of video review technology used in association football to assist the on-field referee with match-changing decisions. A VAR team reviews footage and communicates with the referee via headset, with the referee able to Conduct an on-field review (OFR) at a pitchside monitor. VAR was introduced at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and has since become standard in top professional competitions worldwide.

For the 2026 FIFA World Cup, IFAB introduced a significant expansion of VAR's scope: second yellow cards can now be reviewed before a player is dismissed, a change that extends VAR beyond red-card offences for the first time. The same update also established that a red card applies to players covering their mouth during confrontations — a new offence VAR can assist in identifying.

The second-yellow VAR review is the more consequential change. It could alter late-game dynamics where a cautioned player might previously have been sent off on a marginal second booking. Critics argue it adds delay and complexity; supporters say it prevents career-altering injustices.