Video Assistant Referee technology is fully operational at World Cup 2026, with 30 of the 170 match officials assigned to VAR duties across the United States, Canada, and Mexico — more than at any previous tournament.
A technology that changed the game
VAR made its World Cup debut at Russia 2018, with its first intervention arriving in the group stage when France were awarded a penalty against Australia — a decision that helped set Les Bleus on the road to a second world title. By Qatar 2022, the technology had become routine across club and international football alike.
World Cup 2026 has already demonstrated just how active the VAR team will be. The opening match between Mexico and South Africa produced a probable record number of red cards — no fewer than three — keeping VAR official Nicolas Gallo of Colombia at the centre of early drama.
What's new for 2026
As ITV refereeing analyst Christina Unkel explained ahead of the tournament, World Cup 2026 introduces a sweeping set of updates to the Laws of the Game, with VAR central to several of them.
For the first time, VAR officials can intervene to overturn incorrectly awarded corner kicks in cases of clear and obvious error, provided the resulting restart is not unnecessarily delayed. They can also review second yellow cards — offering players dismissed for two bookable offences a potential reprieve — and can recommend disciplinary action before the ball is played from set pieces.
Semi-automated offside technology
Perhaps the most significant development is the introduction of real-time audio notifications for assistant referees through the semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) system. When a player is more than 10cm offside, the assistant referee receives an immediate audio alert — meaning obvious offside calls should no longer go undetected by the flag.
For tighter, marginal decisions, SAOT remains the ultimate arbiter, with the flag still delayed until the system delivers its verdict. The combination of these updates places VAR at World Cup 2026 among the most technologically advanced refereeing setups the sport has ever seen.
