2026 World Cup VAR criticism prompts calls for faster decisions

Former German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn urged that the Video Assistant Referee system be streamlined, saying the referee should rely on officials in the Video Operation Room rather than repeatedly checking a screen. He warned that slow VAR reviews undermine the sport’s fairness and cautioned that expanding the tournament to 48 teams could dilute its quality.

Analysts highlighted two controversial VAR incidents from the 2026 tournament, including a round‑of‑16 match where Argentina’s win over Egypt hinged on a decision to overturn a goal after a foul occurring a minute earlier was deemed connected. The debate centres on how far back referees should look when assessing linked play, underscoring ongoing concerns about the balance between technology and human judgment in football.