Overview
- Multiple outlets citing The Times report that FIFA intends to trial VAR checks on corner decisions and on expulsions for incorrect second yellow cards at the 2026 World Cup.
- Under current protocol VAR is limited to goals, penalties, direct red cards and mistaken identity, so the trial would mark a significant scope expansion.
- The reported authorization would make the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada the exclusive test bed for these interventions.
- UEFA has raised concerns that reviewing corners could slow play, and IFAB members want any such decisions resolved within seconds to protect match flow.
- IFAB will examine the proposal on January 20 and is also advancing separate trials and votes, including a March 1 decision on Arsène Wenger’s offside reform, as FIFA runs time‑wasting and penalty‑rebound experiments in smaller tournaments like the Arab Cup.