IFAB clarification suggests Breel Embolo should not have been sent off against Argentina in World Cup quarter-final | OneFootball

A clarification on VAR use at the World Cup suggests Breel Embolo should not have been sent off against Argentina in the quarter-final.

IFAB said in a circular that a yellow card, when not a second yellow, can be reviewed only to confirm a player’s identity, not to revisit the offence. The change could be written into future World Cup and IFAB protocols, subject to approval.

During World Cup 2026 the VAR had wider powers, including to correct cases of mistaken identity for cautions and dismissals. The clarification means this cannot be used in simulation cases, since the original sanction cannot be altered.

Applied correctly, Embolo’s red in the 1-3 defeat would not have occurred. Leandro Paredes was initially booked for a foul on the Swiss forward, then VAR flagged a supposed case of mistaken identity, prompting a rethink.

Embolo was cautioned for simulation, his second of the match, and was sent off, while Paredes’s booking was cancelled.

The error was overturning the initial sanction when there was no identity mistake. The referee would have needed to change the basis for the VAR check, which did not happen, leading to misuse.

Source: L'Équipe