VAR Extended To Include 2nd Bookings, Corners At World Cup

Football’s lawmakers have announced a significant expansion of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system to include second yellow cards and corners, set to debut at the upcoming World Cup. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) also approved a raft of measures aimed at curbing time-wasting.

Despite concerns that the changes could lead to further interruptions in the game’s flow, VAR’s remit will broaden considerably. Currently, only straight red cards are subject to VAR review, not incidents leading to a second bookable offence.

IFAB stated that incorrectly awarded corners would only be overturned if the review “can be completed immediately and without delaying the restart.”

To combat time-wasting, countdowns will be introduced for goal-kicks, throw-ins, and substitutions. If a player exceeds the allotted time, possession will switch to the opposing team – meaning a goal-kick could become a corner, or a throw-in awarded to the opposition.

Players will have 10 seconds to leave the pitch after their number is displayed for a substitution. Failure to do so means they must still exit immediately, but their replacement will not be permitted to enter until the next stoppage in play, after at least one minute has elapsed. Similarly, players receiving on-field treatment or whose injury halts play must leave the pitch for one minute before returning.

These rule changes, agreed at a meeting in Cardiff, officially become part of the Laws of the Game from 1st July but will be adopted for the World Cup, which kicks off on 11th June.

IFAB will also consult on measures regarding players leaving the field in protest against a referee’s decision and players covering their mouths when confronting opponents. This follows incidents such as the Africa Cup of Nations final, delayed by a Senegal walk-off after Morocco were awarded a late penalty, and a Champions League match where Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior reported racial abuse, with Gianluca Prestianni covering his mouth. Prestianni denies the allegations and is provisionally suspended pending a UEFA investigation.