As you watch or read about the World Cup, there's a good chance that you'll see someone talking about VAR. But what is it? VAR is the use of the video assistant referee to review decisions made in a game for clear and obvious errors or missed incidents.

Here is a clear, step‑by‑step breakdown of what VAR is, when it can be used, what is changing at the World Cup, and what fans should know.

Design: Kelsea Petersen/The Athletic; Photos: Paul Ellis/Getty Images, Ryan Pierce/Getty Images Graham Scott refereed in the Premier League for a decade before retiring in 2025 to return to his previous career as a journalist. He was a video assistant ...

The opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 delivered plenty of drama. Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in a heated contest. The game had three red cards and several controversial moments. However, the biggest talking point after the final whistle was an unusual VAR announcement made by Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio.

In an analysis of a video-assisted, pitch-side review of soccer (UK football) referee calls in the English Premier League, referees overturned their original call 95% of the time. However, these decisions had no statistical link to crowd size, the score or ...

FIFA has introduced several changes to the laws of soccer for the World Cup. These include efforts to eliminate time-wasting and to ensure potentially game-changing officiating mistakes are corrected.

Leandro Trossard pumps his fist in celebration after scoring Arsenal’s winner Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images In one of the most dramatic endings to a Premier League game, a VAR decision that will have an effect on the title and relegation places ...

Referee Farai Hallam was correct to turn down a video assistant referee (VAR) review to give a penalty to Manchester City against Wolves, the Premier League's Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel has ruled. With City leading 1-0 in the 35th minute, Omar ...