European football officials have issued a fresh directive on the use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR), stating the technology should only intervene in instances of "blatantly incorrect" decisions or clear missed incidents. This move comes after a significant meeting last week involving referee chiefs from all 55 national associations and representatives from the International Football Association Board (Ifab).
The consensus aims to streamline officiating and reduce the impact of lengthy reviews. A Uefa release clarified that VAR is not intended to re-referee the game but to support referees, who remain central to decision-making. Lengthy, microscopic reviews, which often indicate the on-field decision was not clearly incorrect, should be limited.
Beyond VAR, the gathering also saw unanimous support for measures designed to speed up game restarts, including time limits for substitutions and five-second countdowns for goal kicks and throw-ins. Further clarification was provided on the "mistaken identity" protocol, which cannot be applied to simulation incidents, as seen during the World Cup, until a full review is completed. This follows controversial incidents such as the one involving Switzerland's Breel Embolo.
Roberto Rosetti, Uefa’s director for refereeing, highlighted the importance of this agreement, stating it will help improve understanding of refereeing decisions among all stakeholders. Uefa is also not expected to adopt other optional World Cup measures in its competitions, such as red cards for players covering their mouths or VAR checks on corners.