The FIFA is breaking with one of the biggest secrets of modern football at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico: For the first time at a World Cup tournament, Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions will be explained live in the stadium and displayed on the scoreboards. This gives fans, players and TV viewers immediate insight into the reasoning of the referees – a step that could fundamentally change the discussion about controversial scenes.
The measure was already tested as a pilot project at the 2025 Club World Cup and the Confederations Cup and received mostly positive feedback there. FIFA referees chief Pierluigi Collina repeatedly emphasized that greater transparency should strengthen confidence in referee performance. "When millions of people are watching, they have the right to understand why a decision was made or revised," explained the Italian. In concrete terms, this means: After a VAR review, the head referee takes the microphone and explains in the respective national language or in English which scene was reviewed and what conclusion he reached.
Technically, FIFA is using an expanded system based on the semi-automatic offside recognition introduced at the 2022 World Cup. It is supplemented by chip technology in the football that provides precise data on ball contacts. The combination of 12 tracking cameras per stadium and artificial intelligence is intended to evaluate offside, handball and foul scenes in seconds. 3D animations then appear on the large stadium screens that visualize, for example, the position of a striker in an offside position – similar to what television viewers already know.
Football nations such as Germany, England and Argentina are particularly curious about the new rules. The German national team, which was itself affected multiple times by controversial VAR decisions at Euro 2024, hopes that greater transparency will lead to more objective debates.
The referees themselves also face new challenges. They must not only be technically secure in the rules but also convince communicatively – a job profile that is more reminiscent of rugby or NFL referees. The FIFA has therefore set up special training camps over the past 18 months where the nominated referees can practice media situations and public appearances. A total of around 70 head referees and more than 100 assistants have been nominated for the tournament, which with 48 teams and 104 matches will be the largest World Cup tournament in history.
Critics, however, warn that the new openness also carries risks. If a referee explains a decision poorly or even gets tangled up in the rulebook, the mood and pressure in the stadium could escalate. There is also the question of whether the match will be slowed down further by the additional explanations. FIFA refers to experience here: At the Club World Cup, the explanations took an average of only 30 to 45 seconds – less than most VAR checks themselves.
One thing is clear: With this reform, football is breaking new ground. Should the concept prove successful, it should only be a matter of time before UEFA follows suit at Euro 2028 or national leagues do the same. For the 2026 World Cup, in any case: The times when stadium audiences are left in the dark for minutes seem to be over.