A clear rebellion against FIFA: UEFA sets red lines for VAR after World Cup controversy | Goal.com
UEFA has refused to apply the decisions of world football's governing body, FIFA. Refereeing officials from the 55 European national associations and UEFA agreed on a series of shared guidelines for the 2026/27 season, aiming to unify the interpretation of the laws of the game, increase actual playing time, and ensure a more limited and consistent use of the video assistant referee (VAR) system.
Marca report that the meeting took place at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, with a representative of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) also in attendance. The purpose was to analyse the recent amendments made to the laws of the game ahead of next season.
These agreements follow the 2026 World Cup, a tournament plagued by refereeing controversies. Iran had a goal against Egypt disallowed after a lengthy offside review. Belgium won a penalty against Senegal thanks to VAR intervention. Both incidents reopened the debate over when the technology should step in and how long reviews should last.
Chief among the meeting's talking points was the operation of the VAR technology. Participants agreed on the need to strengthen the shared standards on video assistant referee interventions, particularly after the recent amendments IFAB made to its protocol.
They reaffirmed that VAR only intervenes in the case of a "clear and obvious" error or when the referee fails to take an obvious action.
UEFA insisted the system is not designed to re-referee matches from the video room. Instead, it exists to support the main referee, who must remain the primary decision-maker.
Officials also called for shorter reviews in front of the screen, arguing that overly prolonged checks often indicate the initial decision was not clearly wrong.
They reached a further agreement to apply uniform standards when identifying players, following the clarifications IFAB recently issued.
Unanimous support also emerged for the reforms IFAB approved to combat time-wasting and speed up the resumption of play.
Goal kicks, throw-ins, substitutions and stoppages due to injuries all fall under these measures.
According to UEFA, referees will receive instructions to apply these new provisions "strictly and consistently" in all national and international competitions, with the aim of increasing the actual time the ball is in play and reducing unnecessary delays.
Talks also covered the relationship between referees and players. UEFA and the national associations agreed to strengthen the protocol for communication between team captains and referees, a formula inspired by the model developed during Euro 2024 that aims to promote respect for referees and reduce protests on the pitch.
Fresh measures are on the way, too. UEFA announced that in the coming weeks it will reveal new initiatives designed to smooth the uniform application of the laws of the game and the VAR protocol across all European football competitions.
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