FIFA is moving forward with a significant expansion of Video Assistant Referee, VAR, rules for the 2026 World Cup — even after key stakeholders initially pushed back.
The global football authority is determined to introduce VAR checks on corner-kick situations during next year’s tournament, a proposal that had previously been rejected.
In October, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) met and agreed to broaden the scope of VAR. Their discussions included allowing VAR to review incorrectly issued yellow cards that could escalate into reds. However, the idea of reviewing corner kicks did not receive approval at the time.
Despite this, FIFA is pressing ahead. According to BBC Sport, the governing body plans to enforce VAR corner-kick reviews at the 2026 World Cup and may do so without waiting for domestic leagues — many of which have rejected the proposal — to adopt the change across their competitions.
The move signals FIFA’s intention to reshape how critical moments are judged on football’s biggest stage.
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