VAR 2.0? FIFA Plans Major Changes Before 2026 World Cup

As the World Cup approaches, FIFA and IFAB are once again pushing to expand the powers of the Video Assistant Referee. But not everyone is happy about it — the VAR debate remains as heated as ever.

Ever since video replay technology entered top-level football, fans haven't stopped arguing: Does VAR ruin the flow of the game? Was football better without it? Does it kill emotions or bring fairness? Years later, opinions remain divided — but decision-makers seem convinced. Despite all its flaws, VAR has significantly reduced the influence of the human factor in refereeing.

And if the experiment is considered successful, why not go further?

According to The Times, FIFA and IFAB are preparing to announce two rule expansions in March:
VAR will now be able to review second yellow cards and incorrectly awarded corner kicks.
The goal is clear — to minimize match-deciding mistakes at the 2026 World Cup, where every decision matters tenfold.

Striving for fairness is admirable. No one wants to be knocked out of a tournament because of a corner that shouldn’t have been given. But the question remains — where is the limit? Many players and managers argue that the game is losing its natural rhythm and emotional chaos that once defined it.

Some believe we should scrap VAR entirely and live with refereeing errors, like before.

Take José Mourinho. Now at Benfica, he dropped points against Rio Ave in a 1–1 draw earlier this season. VAR spotted a foul by Nicolás Otamendi and ruled out what could have been a winning goal. Mourinho didn't hide his frustration:

"The result is unfair. Only one team wanted to win. I don’t like when the man in front of the monitor becomes the main character. If you cancel a goal for a shirt pull… The referee on the pitch must show character."

Speaking of character — remember Joey Barton, the Manchester City icon and one of the toughest midfielders in Premier League history? He wants VAR gone too, arguing that with enough replays you can find a foul in almost any episode. And football, by definition, is physical.

Barton put it sharply:

"The game is disappearing. Slow-motion replays from eight angles turn every challenge into a crime scene. Football is a contact sport — not a casting call for whistle-wielding regulators. The physical side that made the game great is being erased."

Perhaps that’s why in April 2024, Sweden officially voted to reject VAR.
18 of the country's 32 top clubs supported the decision. The “spirit of the game” is protected — at least until the first catastrophic officiating mistake arrives.

And even FIFA isn’t always loyal to VAR — sometimes it switches to its lighter version, the VSA (Video Support system). At the U-20 World Cup in October, fans barely noticed the difference, aside from one thing — decisions were quicker. The key distinction: fewer cameras, cheaper implementation.

Debate will continue for years — and it should. But a complete rollback feels unlikely. Yes, VAR breaks the tempo. Yes, it sparks frustration. Yet it does reduce mistakes dramatically.

So the real question remains:

Do we improve VAR to make decisions faster — or expand it further and risk slowing football down even more?

If technology becomes quicker — great.
If stoppages grow longer — maybe not.

Time will tell.

Published by Patrick Jane
04.12.2025