Uefa Makes U-Turn on VAR for Diving in European Competitions

The Union of European Football Associations, Uefa, has instructed its video assistant referees to refrain from using the video assistant referee, VAR, to review potential cases of diving, a decision that marks a departure from the protocol used during the 2026 World Cup. This development comes after the International Football Association Board, Ifab, modified the VAR protocol, effective this summer, which allowed for intervention in cases of mistaken identity. At the World Cup, this tweak was utilized to overturn a yellow card given to United States defender Tim Ream and instead issue it to Paraguay's Miguel Almiron for diving. In another instance, Switzerland striker Breel Embolo was sent off in the quarter-final against Argentina after a VAR review determined he had initiated contact, leading to a second yellow card. However, Uefa has opted not to adopt this approach, citing concerns over the potential for 'chaos' in domestic leagues, where every yellow card could be reviewable for simulation, thereby creating undue pressure on match officials. Uefa's head of referees has clarified that mistaken identity refers to factual decisions that do not require the referee to consult the monitor, such as the case of a handball offense. The use of VAR for mistaken identity will be limited to factual decisions, such as correcting the identity of a player who committed a foul, rather than reviewing subjective offenses like diving. Uefa will, however, continue to use VAR to intervene in cases of incorrect second yellow cards, which could potentially punish diving if the player who committed the foul is sent off for two bookings. The governing body has also rejected the option to issue red cards to players who cover their mouth in confrontations, a rule that was used at the World Cup. The head referees from Uefa's 54 member nations are set to convene next week to discuss all aspects of VAR use, including the application of mistaken identity. The Ifab has declined to comment on the interpretation of the law, which has sparked debate among football stakeholders.