Is VAR being used differently at the World Cup vs the Premier League?
Summary
The use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) at the 2026 World Cup is different from the Premier League. While there have been more VAR interventions per game at the World Cup, the overall style of refereeing allows for fewer fouls and calls, leading to less controversy and a smoother flow of games.Key Facts
- The 2026 World Cup has seen more VAR interventions per game (0.33) than the Premier League last season (0.29).
- Referees at the World Cup call fewer fouls per game (21.7) compared to previous World Cups and similar to the Premier League (21.6 fouls per game).
- The number of cautions (yellow cards) per game at the World Cup is 2.4, which is lower than in other competitions or past World Cups.
- Fifa selected 51 top referees and 30 video officials for the World Cup to ensure high refereeing standards.
- Fifa’s head of referees, Pierluigi Collina, encourages referees to allow more physical contact and fewer fouls to create faster and more flowing games.
- VAR interventions and referee decisions are aligned to keep consistency, meaning if referees let more challenges go, VAR reviews are reduced.
- The Premier League has the lowest VAR intervention rate in Europe despite public perception.
- Compared to other tournaments like the Champions League, the World Cup and Premier League have fewer subjective VAR reviews and monitor visits.
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