Portugal advances past Croatia after VAR‑backed offside call in World Cup

In the round‑of‑32 match between Portugal and Croatia at the 2026 World Cup in Toronto, a late Croatian equaliser was ruled out for off‑side. The decision was based on data from the Connected Ball Technology chip embedded in the official Trionda ball, which recorded a minute touch by Igor Matanović before the pass. FIFA released the sensor data and video, confirming the off‑side and defending the VAR intervention.

The incident sparked widespread reaction: Croatian media described the call as a "theft," while analysts such as Paulo Caravina urged trust in the technology despite the touch being invisible to the naked eye. Former players, including Zlatan Ibrahimović, also denounced the decision.

Separately, the Canadian Premier League, which is trialling a new “daylight” off‑side rule in partnership with FIFA, cited the Portugal‑Croatia game as one of 17 World Cup goals that would have stood under its interpretation. CPL executive Costa Smyrniotis said the experiment aims to make off‑side calls clearer and more attacking‑friendly.

The controversy highlights ongoing debates over VAR, sensor‑based ball technology, and possible rule changes in football.