VAR to review corners and second yellows in Serie A refereeing shake-up | OneFootball

Serie A is set for a notable refereeing change in 2026/27, with VAR to be used to correct wrongly awarded corners.

Each national federation can decide whether to adopt the measure, and Italy’s top flight will do so, while Serie B and C are still weighing it up, partly due to having fewer cameras available.

According to the Corriere dello Sport, Referees will be able to overturn a corner given in error, provided the review causes no disruption to the game in progress.

VERONA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 03: Referee Andrea Gervasoni during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and Cagliari Calcio at Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi on November 3, 2013 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

VAR to review second yellow cards in Serie A

A second, more significant change is also coming: VAR will be able to review second yellow cards that have been shown, though not ones that were missed.

Unlike the corner protocol, this is an IFAB directive and mandatory for all competitions. It follows a string of controversies last season, most notably the Kalulu-Bastoni incident, where the resulting dismissal would have been overturned after an on-field review had the measure already been in place.

Italian officiating is also moving towards a more UEFA-style approach elsewhere: covering the mouth during a dispute with an opponent will not bring an automatic red, with a yellow deemed sufficient, and the same leniency will apply to players who briefly leave the pitch in protest.