VAR has become a subject of debate and confusion among fans and officials following a series of contentious decisions during recent World Cup matches. The application of the technology, intended to correct clear and obvious errors, has faced criticism for inconsistency.
In one instance, Ghana coach Carlo Queiroz expressed frustration after his team was denied a penalty against England. Ezri Konsa's challenge on Prince Kwabena Adu was deemed by many, including Queiroz, as a clear foul that warranted VAR intervention, yet none was made in the 0-0 draw.
Conversely, Brazil had a goal disallowed in their 3-0 victory over Scotland. The foul, called against Vinicius Jr. for an incident involving Jack Hendry, appeared less clear-cut to some observers. Former World Cup assistant referee Darren Cann suggested on MOTD that Scotland was fortunate, noting that while there was minor contact before the ball was played, it did not seem to be a foul.
Further controversy arose during Germany's 2-1 loss to Ecuador. Germany's Leroy Sane had an early goal allowed to stand despite Aleksandar Pavlovic's high boot making clear contact with the head of Ecuador's Pedro Vite. Former England international Joe Hart remarked on MOTD that any player watching would have identified the incident as endangering an opponent and a foul. Ellen White added her shock that the incident was not reviewed.
Later in the same match, a penalty was awarded to Germany after Kai Havertz went down under a challenge. However, VAR official Joe Dickerson advised the referee to overturn the decision, citing a foul by Leroy Sane on Vite on the halfway line. While this intervention could be seen as fair in isolation, critics pointed to the disparity in decision-making when compared to the earlier incident involving Vite and Pavlovic, where a potential foul was not reviewed. The inconsistency between these two decisions has led to widespread questioning of VAR's application and the criteria being used by video officials.
Comparisons have been drawn to other competitions, such as the Champions League, where VAR interventions occur more frequently. UEFA's stricter interpretation of handball rules, for example, leads to fewer subjective decisions and more consistent outcomes. In contrast, the World Cup's application of VAR appears to have a higher threshold for intervention, but the recent incidents suggest this bar has been inconsistently applied, leaving supporters questioning the technology's role and fairness.