World Cup 2026: Most controversial VAR officiating decisions in group stage

The 2026 World Cup group stage was marred by several highly controversial Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions, leaving teams frustrated and questioning the technology's impact on match outcomes and qualification hopes. These calls, ranging from disallowed goals to denied penalties, have sparked intense debate among fans and analysts.

One of the most heart-wrenching incidents involved Iran. In the dying moments of their match against Egypt, substitute Shoja Khalilzadeh scored what would have been a knockout-stage-clinching goal. However, VAR intervened, disallowing the goal for an offside call by the narrowest of margins – barely a millimeter. This decision shattered Iranian hopes and led to their elimination from the tournament.

Similarly, Ghana felt aggrieved after a potential match-winning penalty was not awarded in their goalless draw against England. In the 79th minute, England's Ezri Konsa appeared to bring down Ghana's Prince Kwabena Adu with a lunging tackle in the box, making no contact with the ball. Despite the clear foul, the referee did not point to the spot, a decision Ghana's coach Carlo Queiroz sarcastically attributed to VAR "going for a coffee."

Colombia also experienced a moment of despair when Davinson Sanchez's stoppage-time header, which seemed to secure a victory against Portugal, was ruled out for a marginal offside. Replays indicated Sanchez was offside by a mere toe, a call that left Colombians feeling robbed of a deserved win and potentially impacting their tournament standing. These incidents highlight a pattern of contentious VAR interventions that have significantly shaped the narrative of the World Cup's group stage.

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VAR went for a coffee