How does VAR work at the World Cup

FIFA's Laws of the Game and the 2026 World Cup competition regulations together govern every aspect of how the tournament is played. The rule explained here applies uniformly across all 16 host cities and all 104 matches.

The rule in detail

Video Assistant Referees check goals, penalties, red cards and mistaken identity, and can recommend the on-field referee review key incidents. This applies from the opening match on 11 June 2026 through to the final on 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey. Specific case law (referee interpretations from past tournaments) informs how borderline calls are made by the on-field officials and video assistant referees.

How it changed for 2026

The expanded 48-team format is the biggest single change since 1998. With 12 groups of four feeding a Round of 32, several smaller adjustments cascade through the competition rules: yellow card amnesty timing, squad size, substitution allowances and tie-breaker hierarchy. The IFAB-approved Laws of the Game remain unchanged from the 2025–26 cycle, but FIFA competition regulations add tournament-specific layers.

Why it matters for fans

• Understanding the rule helps decode referee decisions live during the match.
• Several rules — especially around substitutions and concussion protocols — directly affect tactical decisions.
• Tournament-specific rules (e.g. yellow card amnesty after the quarter-finals) shape squad selection late in the bracket.

Common misconceptions

Many fans confuse the IFAB Laws of the Game (universal) with FIFA tournament regulations (competition-specific). The Laws govern the action on the pitch; the regulations govern everything around it — squad sizes, suspensions, technology, substitutions and so on.

Reference

The full FIFA competition regulations for the 2026 World Cup are published on FIFA.com. The Laws of the Game are published by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) and are available on theifab.com.