FIFA wants to extend VAR to corners as early as the 2026 World Cup
Despite the reluctance of IFAB and national leagues, FIFA is pushing to include corners in the VAR protocol at the 2026 World Cup, a major change that could transform the refereeing of set pieces.
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FIFA is preparing to make a major shift in the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Despite reservations expressed by several of its members and stakeholders, the global body intends to evolve the protocol, particularly regarding corners.
At its October meeting, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) discussed expanding the scope of VAR. While the idea of allowing the systematic review of yellow cards had raised concerns, the proposal to check actions on corners was clearly rejected.
According to BBC Sport, FIFA nevertheless wants to move forward and plans to push hard for these sequences to be integrated into the VAR protocol from the 2026 World Cup. An ambitious measure, as several national leagues still refuse to implement this extension in their competitions.