The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has reportedly concluded that Switzerland striker Breel Embolo was wrongly sent off during his team’s World Cup quarterfinal defeat to Argentina, citing an incorrect application of VAR.
According to the report, IFAB found that match officials exceeded the permitted use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system during the incident involving Embolo.
The body responsible for the Laws of the Game explained that VAR is allowed to assist in cases of mistaken identity involving cautions, but it cannot be used to change a yellow-card decision, particularly in situations involving alleged simulation.
Based on that interpretation, IFAB said Embolo should not have received a second yellow card and subsequent dismissal against Argentina in the World Cup quarterfinal.
The findings are expected to intensify discussions over VAR protocols and the consistency of officiating, with the Embolo incident emerging as one of the tournament’s most debated refereeing decisions.
