Embolo red card controversy has finally been resolved, with the International Football Association Board (IFAB) confirming that the Swiss striker’s dismissal against Argentina should not have counted as per VAR regulations.
It came in the second half of the World Cup quarter-final when the score was even at 1-1. Argentina goalkeeper Leandro Paredes was first in on the ball for Breel Embolo and his booking was followed by a free kick being awarded by referee João Pinheiro. But following a VAR intervention, it was decided to issue a second yellow card for simulation, leading to Embolo’s dismissal.
Argentina’s home team took advantage of the numerical advantage and scored twice in overtime to beat Switzerland, 3-1, in Kansas City.
IFAB has now confirmed that the use of VAR in this case was beyond its scope of permissions. With regards to yellow cards, according to the governing body, this is not an issue for VAR to re-evaluate or overturn disciplinary action, but rather if there was a mistake in the nature of the offence itself.
IFAB’s official statement states that the clause on mistaken identity has been tested at the FIFA World Cup 2026 and has been given a thumbs-up, but it does not currently enable referees to change a yellow card decision, as a result of a re-interpretation of the incident.
This is an important explanation of one of the main drawbacks in the VARs as they stand now, especially in serious competitions where second yellow cards can make all the difference. The Embolo incident, which has been the subject of a wider investigation by the IFAB, is now believed to be part of that review and changes to VAR protocols are being considered.
The ruling further highlights the issue of VAR consistency and the boundaries of VAR operations generally, particularly in knockout stages games where the controversy has a competitive impact.
