#var

#var

World Cup 2026 is set to break the record for yellow cards and is likely to see more red cards than any previous major tournament, reflecting stricter enforcement of rules.

"There was a goal that was scored and then it was cancelled - this is a very technical mistake by the referee. Unfortunately this is what is turning football into rubble. It was a big mistake to choose this referee for this match. We deserved to be in the final and we deserve to play this important game."

The VAR concept of clear and obvious errors is clearly long dead. Waving off a foul with a clear view of it should not enter the domain of VAR, pretty much ever.

"Mateo, I recommend a review so you can consider a possible reversal of the red card you showed, please," VAR referee Mario Melero López said.

This is a scandal, this is a disgrace, that sums up this action. It's a clear yellow card offense, it's blatant, but if we remember what happened in Pamplona we can understand this and why VAR didn't call him.

In the 15th minute, he did brilliantly to keep the ball in play down the left before clipping a cross onto the edge of the six-yard box, with Albert Rusnak glancing it past Zack Steffen. Three minutes later, Hassani Dotson turned in the rebound of a long-range volley from Cristian Roldon, only for it to be ruled out following a VAR review for a foul by Jesus Ferreira in the build-up.

One poor decision is forgivable, two is careless, but there were a hat-trick of howlers, with Tammy Abraham clearly offside for Aston Villa's opener. Lucas Digne needed his own dedicated review booth, escaping with a yellow card for an agricultural tackle on Jacob Murphy and avoiding a penalty for handball. Officials ruled that Digne handled the ball outside the penalty area, an impressive feat given that he both took off and landed inside the box as he jumped to block a cross.