World Cup 2026: Has VAR become a lottery?

Other competitions have a lower bar for VAR, and video officials are often involved.

That creates a cloak of consistency, because people expect intervention, but it doesn’t mean VAR will be used as originally intended for real fouls.

Take the Champions League as a comparison. VAR is more likely to be involved in a match with 0.47 interventions a game and 0.36 supervision visits.

Handball is a prime example, with Uefa applying strict interpretation – more room for subjectivity, less reason to leave VAR alone. If the ball hits his arm, the defender is in trouble.

So what happened this week to cause such a stir?

Tuesday Ghana coach Carlo Queiroz “VAR wanted coffee,” he said. Ezri Konsa’s match against Prince Kwabena Adu after his team was not awarded a penalty against England.

The fact that there was no interference in the game was very difficult and very surprising. It finished 0-0.

On Wednesday, Brazil had a goal offside. He won 3-0 Vinicius Jr.’s offense against Jack Hendry against Scotland

This time the top bar is lowered. Instead of creating a clear and obvious offense, Hendry seemed to kick Real Madrid’s forward line.

Former World Cup assistant referee Darren Khan told MOTD: “I think Scotland are a bit unlucky to be honest.

“There is a little bit of contact before the ball is played, but I don’t feel that’s a mistake.”

To Thursday and Germany 2-1 loss to Ecuador.

Leroy Sane’s first goal for Germany was allowed to stand despite Aleksandar Pavlovic rising to head Pedro Vitt’s boot.

He felt clear VAR intervention but was allowed to stand by referee Tori Penso’s decision.

Joe Hart said on MOTD: “Every player watching this World Cup at the moment has seen this incident and immediately said that’s putting the opposition in danger, that’s a high shoe, that’s a foul.

“I think it’s a wrong decision.”

Ellen White added: “I’m shocked it wasn’t reviewed and banned.”

Then, just after the break, Penso’s Kai Havertz pointed to the spot for a penalty after falling under a challenge from Joel Ordonez.

However, this time the VAR, Joe Dickerson, stepped in to tell Vit to cancel the penalty for Leroy Sane’s foul on the halfway line.

In isolation it could be seen as a fair intervention, although the Vite seems to be a step down in class.

But it wasn’t a potential Pavlovic high boot compared to the high bar.

Maybe VAR felt they were making up for the indifference of the past.

But it seems unlikely that VAR could award one offense and not the other.