Big VAR changes could be coming for 2026 World Cup
IFAB is considering changes that would broaden the use of video replays, adding even more stoppages to the game.
The controversial video assistant referee (VAR) system used in elite soccer could be expanded for the 2026 World Cup, reports in the UK suggest.
The Telegraph has revealed that VAR could soon be used to assist officials on corner-kick and second yellow card decisions, two areas that are not currently eligible for review. Any changes would have to be approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) but reports suggest that the governing body for soccer’s laws is considering giving competitions the freedom to run trials of new officiating procedures.
Fifa could be granted its own VAR rules at the World Cup so it can get its wish to use the technology on corner kick decisions
— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) December 1, 2025
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IFAB has traditionally tested innovations in lower-tier events but the proposed change would clear the way for FIFA to adopt VAR on corner kicks as early as next summer. The review process would help determine whether the ball fully crossed the goal line or which player last touched it before going out.
These decisions may seem relatively innocuous but there have been examples of similar calls having a major impact on previous World Cup games. In the 2002 tournament Spain had a Fernando Morientes goal wrongly disallowed after the ball was adjudged to have gone out of play.
The expanded use of VAR would aim to cover a wider range of contentious moments, including potential missed offsides before a corner or incidents that lead directly to goals.
IFAB is expected to vote on the proposal at its annual meeting in March. If approved, competitions could begin trials immediately. FIFA can then decide whether to implement the system for the World Cup, continuing its trend of introducing new technology after debuting semi-automatic offside at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
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