At the World Cup, has 'VAR' gone too far? Some fans say it's ruining the tournament

Jul 17, 2026 ·1 min read

Key Takeaway

In this World Cup, VAR, or video assistant referee, has become ubiquitous (and despised by many). But there was a time when fans and teams loved it.

Published July 17, 2026 · Category: News

Overview

Players react to FIFA referee Said Martinez as a penalty kick is awarded to Belgium after the VAR review during the World Cup round Of 32 match between Belgium and Senegal in Seattle on July 1.

In this World Cup, VAR, or video assistant referee, has become ubiquitous (and despised by many). But there was a time when fans and teams loved it. What went wrong?

Details

(Image credit: Alex Grimm)

Source

Originally published at www.npr.org.

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