Here I am again, still buzzing after the 2026 World Cup. And yes, Spain champions, everyone happy, but there's a topic that keeps going around in my head and in debates with my mates: VAR. Have you noticed how in this World Cup every controversial action ended with the referee's finger in his ear and the people in the stadium not knowing whether to celebrate? Personally, it drives me crazy.
I've been looking at data and it turns out that in the 2026 World Cup play was stopped an average of 3,7 times per match per VAR review, with stoppages of up to 2 and a half minutes. Is that football or a video game on pause? On one hand, they say justice is more important, but on the other… the essence of the goal, the magical moment, goes cold.
I'll leave you some pics to show the typical scene of this World Cup:
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The first is the exact moment of a review in the final, the second the face of the audience waiting, and the third the referee pointing at the monitor. Does that sound familiar?
Now, the million-dollar question:
Do you think VAR should be limited only to goals and clear penalties, leaving out millimeter offsides?
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And to show you how this has evolved, here's a quick comparison of the last three World Cups:
World Cup | Red cards | Goals disallowed by VAR | Average review time |
|---|---|---|---|
2018 | 20 | 12 | 1 min 12 s |
2022 | 18 | 18 | 1 min 45 s |
2026 | 14 | 22 | 2 min 28 s |
The numbers speak for themselves. More and more goals are disallowed and it takes longer and longer. Watch out for the table, the data is from FIFA.
According to a study by the Polytechnic University of Madrid, 68% of fans surveyed prefer less technology even if there are some errors, compared to 32% who want total justice. Which side are you on?
And to close, I leave you with an image that sums up the debate in an epic way:
Imagine: the ball going in, you jumping, and suddenly everything freezes because VAR is measuring if the striker's ankle was millimeters ahead. Is it worth it?
#VAR #WorldCup2026 #FootballControversy #OpenDebate