FIFA is preparing to implement a significant expansion of Video Assistant Refereeing (VAR) ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup scheduled to take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The global football governing body is reportedly set to allow VAR interventions beyond the already established reviewable incidents such as offsides, penalties, direct red cards and cases of mistaken identity.
According to a report by The Times, FIFA under the leadership of President Gianni Infantino intends to extend VAR usage during the tournament to cover corner kicks as well as second yellow card decisions — a move aimed at improving fairness and reducing match-defining errors.
The development forms part of broader reforms already confirmed for the 2026 edition, which includes the historic expansion of participating teams from 32 to 48.
If approved, the rule change will represent one of the most dramatic evolutions of refereeing technology since VAR was first introduced at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Further updates and official confirmation are expected in the coming months.
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