World Cup offside controversy fuels VAR debate and daylight rule talks

The FIFA World Cup offside rule, which penalises an attacking player who is in the opponent’s half with any part of the head, body or feet beyond the second‑last defender and becomes active, is applied with the assistance of VAR. VAR officials review offside incidents using multiple cameras and can advise the on‑field referee, though the final decision remains with the referee.

Controversial offside calls, such as the disallowed equaliser for Croatia against Portugal in the round of 32, have drawn criticism on social media. Former U.S. international goalkeeper Kasey Keller said the technology has improved decision‑making but noted that “50/50” situations will always cause debate. He rejected the proposed “daylight offside” rule – which would deem a player offside only when the entire body is behind the last defender – arguing that unclear calls will persist.

The daylight offside rule is currently being trialed in the Canadian Premier League, but Keller believes consistent “clear and obvious” calls are still needed for the sport’s fairness.