FIFA is considering introducing VAR to the 2026 North Korea-China World Cup corner kick decision.
FIFA referee chairman Erluigi Colina confirmed on the 5th (Korea time) that the corner kick decision is likely to be subject to a video review, saying in a discussion meeting of the 'Referee and Innovation' ahead of the draw for next year's North-China World Cup in Washington, D.C.
The BBC reported on the 3rd that `there is a high possibility that the agenda including VAR of corner kicks will be passed at the IFAB General Assembly in January next year. It came shortly after FIFA President Colina and other key figures reported at the IFAB General Assembly that `in a big game such as the World Cup final, minor factors such as corner kick decisions can change history.'
Chairman Colina said "The important thing is to prevent time delays. In the case of corner kicks, there is a physical delay, because if a corner is declared, you usually have to wait for the two center backs to come up. It usually takes 10 to 15 seconds for strikers to prepare. If a corner is declared wrong in these 10-15 seconds, everyone has proof that it is wrong"It's hard for me to understand. Why should we bury our heads in the sand and hope that nothing happens in a corner kick situation, even though there is a possibility of confirming that?" "I think everyone should aim to make the right decision on the field."It would be a pity if the result of the game was decided not by the players' performance in the stadium, but by the judge's good faith mistake." At the same time, he was concerned about the time delay caused by VAR after drawing the line "This is my personal opinion". He stressed that the time it takes to resolve the question is the key. "I watch the game hoping that the results will be determined by the players' performance in important competitions. It would be nice if such a situation could be avoided. But the key is to prevent time delays. No one wants further delays.'
The issue of introducing VAR for corner kicks has also recently emerged in the Premier League. Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche had publicly complained about conceding two goals earlier in the season due to a false declaration of a corner.
FIFA's proposal for VAR of corner kicks was rejected once at a meeting of the International Football Council (IFAB) in October to determine the rules of the game. The main reason was that it broke the flow of the economy and caused additional delays. In addition, one of the core principles of the rules of the game, the referee cannot overturn the decision to resume the game, which means that if a corner kick is executed and the game is in progress, it must continue for now. This means that all corner kicks must be confirmed by VAR, even though most of the decisions are clear. FIFA argues that there are enough resources to make a quick decision on this.
Meanwhile, the possibility of introducing a semi-automatic offside system has also been confirmed. At the North Korea-China World Cup finals in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico next summer, there will be no limit on the time required to check VAR.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
