The 2026 FIFA World Cup has produced thrilling matches, dramatic comebacks, and unbelievable upsets. We witnessed Germany’s super team get knocked out in the penalties by Paraguay, Belgium’s comeback against Senegal, as well as the brilliant games of Cabo Verde. However, alongside these matches, VAR and refereeing decisions have become some of the biggest topics of conversation in this tournament. From the controversial disallowed goals to red card suspensions, several matches and decisions have created heated discussion among players, coaches, and supporters.
Some controversies at the 2026 FIFA World Cup have gone beyond football. The United States’ top goal scorer, Folarin Balogun, had been sent off after a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Under FIFA’s disciplinary rules, he was expected to miss an important knockout match against Belgium. Instead, FIFA applied Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, allowing his suspension to be deferred and making Balogun available for that game. The decision itself raised questions but became even more controversial after US President Donald Trump revealed that he personally spoke with the FIFA President Gianni Infantino and requested a review of the case.
The announcement sparked accusations that football’s disciplinary process had been influenced by politics. Belgium’s football federation questioned the overturning of the automatic suspension. UEFA officials argued that this was an unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unjustifiable decision that set a dangerous precedent. After the decision, Norway’s coach Stale Solbakken warned, “It’s a bad decision that'll hurt the World Cup.” England’s manager Thomas Tuchel, after one of England’s players received a red card, responded to reporters, “Where does this start and where does this end now? Can we overturn ours? Where do we draw the line?”
Criticism also came from former World Cup referee Jonas Eriksson, who described this series of events as “a circus” and stated that it was damaging FIFA’s credibility under Infantino’s leadership. After the match, Balogun himself addressed the unwanted attention surrounding the decision and admitted,“I expected there to be controversy. It definitely created a lot of noise around the team.”
Although the United States went on to lose 4-1 to Belgium, the debate wasn’t whether Balogun deserved to play. For many fans, the issue was whether FIFA had mixed football with politics.
Yet, as the tournament progressed in the knockout stages, there were other decisions that created even more debate. Croatia managed to score a dramatic late equalizer against Portugal, sending the Round of 32 game into extra time. But after the Croatian celebrations, VAR intervened, and officials ruled that the striker Igor Matanović had made the slightest touch on the cross before it reached Mario Pašalić, putting Pašalić in an offside position. The goal was later disallowed, and Portugal advanced into the Round of 16 with a 2-1 victory.
The decision immediately became one of the tournament’s biggest talking points. After the game, Croatian players surrounded referee Espen Eskås demanding an explanation for the decision. Head coach of Croatia, Zlatko Dalić, questioned whether football had become “too dependent on technology.” The Croatian Football Federation later requested the release of the audio between the on-field referee and the VAR team, arguing that more transparency was needed in such crucial decisions. FIFA has still not released the requested recording.
Former players, analysts, and fans were divided. Some praised the technology for identifying a touch invisible to the naked eye, while others argued that the human element of the game had vanished. On social media, many expressed their frustrations and questioned whether the spirit of football is being lost.
A similar incident happened in Argentina’s Round of 16 game against Egypt. Egypt was up 1-0 when they managed to score another goal against Argentina. But after a VAR review, the referee disallowed the goal after reviewing an earlier foul in the build-up. This decision divided opinion, with many believing the review went too far back in the attacking move. Eventually, Argentina came back to win the match 3-2.
In the post-match interview, Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan said, “Today there is no respect, no fair play.” The Egyptian Football Association later announced that it had filed a formal complaint with FIFA, requesting an explanation of the VAR decisions and criticizing the lack of transparency during the review process.
The Egypt-Argentina match was not the only one to generate debate. Questions over a ball striking an overhead wire during England’s match against Norway and another VAR decision involving Switzerland’s red card against Argentina have been in the spotlight. As the tournament reaches its final stages, one question lingers: has technology made the game fairer, or has it made football too technical?
One of the main goals of VAR was to reduce clear and obvious mistakes. Since its implementation, the technology has helped referees make more accurate decisions in important moments. However, many decisions still depend on interpretation, as there is no clear black-and-white decision in football. What one referee might consider a foul, another referee may see as a normal challenge. This creates a difference in opinion among the fans.
Controversy has always been part of the FIFA World Cup, long before VAR existed. From Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ in 1986 to Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal against Germany in 2010, every World Cup has had moments that sparked debate. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is no different.
Whether people support or criticize the decisions, the refereeing has become as memorable as the matches themselves. Technology was introduced to bring certainty to the game, but it has only become a new means for the same problems. As the 2026 FIFA World Cup nears its end, one thing remains clear; while VAR may change how football is officiated, it cannot change the passion, disagreement, and debate in it.
