IFAB Clarifies VAR Rules on Yellow Cards, Questions 2026 World Cup Decision

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body responsible for football's laws, has issued a new clarification on the use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) concerning yellow cards. This clarification sheds light on one of the most debated refereeing decisions from the 2026 World Cup.

According to IFAB's updated interpretation, a VAR official cannot review the decision to issue a yellow card unless there is a need to identify the correct player. In essence, VAR can only assist if there is confusion about who committed the offense, not to judge whether the foul warranted a caution or to change such a decision retroactively. This interpretation could be incorporated into future official VAR protocols.

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The video assistant referee does not have the right to review the decision to award a yellow card itself, except in the situation where it is necessary to determine the identity of the player who has been cautioned.

The clarification is particularly relevant to a quarterfinal match in the 2026 World Cup between Argentina and Switzerland, which Argentina won 3-1. In that game, Argentinian midfielder Leandro Paredes was initially shown a yellow card for a foul. Following a VAR intervention, the referee changed the decision, attributing the card to Swiss player Breel Embolo for simulation, which resulted in Embolo's second yellow and subsequent red card, while Paredes's caution was canceled.

IFAB's new guidance implies that the VAR's actions in that specific instance were problematic. The board believes VAR lacked the authority to alter the decision because there was no genuine error in player identification. This suggests that the video assistant should not have assessed the foul's severity or transferred the card to another player, potentially reigniting debates about the boundaries of VAR technology in major football competitions.

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In other words, VAR can only help if there is doubt about who should be assigned the card, but it cannot decide whether the offense was for a caution or subsequently change such a decision.