FIFA in an official statement: Embolo's sending-off a correction of justice, and welcomed by the IFAB | Goal.com
Football's world governing body FIFA has defended the decision to send off Switzerland's Breel Embolo during the quarter-final clash against Argentina at the 2026 World Cup, insisting that the intervention of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in the incident was in line with an approved interpretation of the "mistaken identity" clause, despite the controversy the incident sparked and the statements made about it by the International Football Association Board (IFAB).
FIFA's official account on the platform "X" quoted a spokesperson for the world governing body as saying: "FIFA's interpretation of mistaken identity was applied consistently throughout the World Cup. There were two cases in which a player was mistakenly identified as having committed an offence warranting a yellow card, and the video referee advised the referee to correct the factual error resulting from the opponent's simulation."
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The spokesperson added: "The simulation itself cannot be questioned, and it should not lead to a disciplinary sanction against an opponent that could have additional consequences, such as a sending-off due to a second yellow card, or a suspension resulting from the accumulation of cards."
"We do not consider this to have been an error by the referee or the Video Assistant Referee," he continued, "and the decision was a correction in the interests of justice."
He went on: "We are aware of IFAB's comments contained in its circular, and we have been in contact with them throughout. They have confirmed that this interpretation is correct, that it has been well received, and that it will be part of the discussions concerning the review of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology protocol, as discussed at the last annual general meeting."
Early in the second half of the quarter-final between Argentina and Switzerland, Embolo went down without any contact from Leandro Paredes. Portuguese referee Joao Pinheiro awarded a foul against the Argentine and booked him.
Then the video referee stepped in. After reviewing the incident, he ruled that Embolo had simulated being fouled, so Paredes's caution was cancelled and the card switched to the Swiss forward. It was his second of the match, and he walked in the 72nd minute.
Level at 1-1 when the red came out, Argentina pounced on the extra man. Two goals in extra time saw them through 3-1 and into the semi-final.
A similar incident had already cropped up during the group stage clash between Paraguay and the United States, where Paraguay's Miguel Almiron was also cautioned for trying to deceive the referee.
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