VAR Matt Donohue and Assistant VAR Blake Antrobus have been dropped from officiating Premier League fixtures after acknowledging an error in allowing Erling Haaland's winning goal for Manchester City against Manchester United.
Refereeing body Pro Ref has admitted that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) made an error in allowing Erling Haaland's decisive goal for Manchester City against Manchester United. The VAR failed to account for the offside position and potential impact of Enzo Fernandez, leading to a controversial decision that angered Manchester United's manager.
UEFA has introduced 'Clear Line', a new platform designed to provide clear guidelines on when and how the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system should intervene, aiming to reduce controversy and increase understanding among all football stakeholders.
The 2026 World Cup has been marred by widespread controversy surrounding the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, with coaches, players, and fans criticising its application, consistency, and impact on match outcomes, leading to a significant increase in interventions and red cards.
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp criticised the VAR decision that disallowed Jonathan Tah's goal, leading to Germany's early exit from the FIFA World Cup 2026. He also took a dig at Arsenal regarding their set-piece goals, suggesting many would be ruled out if Tah's goal was illegal.
Switzerland coach Murat Yakin blasted the rule behind Breel Embolo's controversial red card as "unacceptable" after Argentina's 3-1 extra-time victory ended the Swiss team's historic FIFA World Cup 2026 run.
Legendary German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn has voiced his opinions on the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, advocating for quicker decisions by relying more on Video Operation Room officials rather than on-field referees reviewing screens. He also expressed mixed feelings about the proposed 48-team World Cup format, acknowledging opportunities for smaller nations but warning against potential dilution of quality.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez defended the VAR decisions that helped his side beat Croatia 2-1, while FIFA explained how Connected Ball Technology confirmed the stoppage-time offside call that ended Croatia's World Cup campaign.
The Egyptian Football Association on Wednesday criticised refereeing decisions in Egypt's dramatic 3-2 World Cup round-of-16 defeat by Argentina, saying it would not remain silent over what it described as the improper use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.
A former FIFA referee has questioned the new VAR protocol after fresh controversy involving Argentina, warning that fan confidence in World Cup officiating has been "completely eroded."
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw expressed his disappointment, calling football a "cruel game" after his team's dramatic 3-2 defeat to Belgium in the World Cup round of 32. Senegal had held a 2-0 lead until the 85th minute but conceded two late goals, followed by a controversial penalty in extra time that led to their elimination.
Pro Ref chief Howard Webb confirmed that VAR officials Matt Donohue and Blake Antrobus were stood down after 'tunnel vision' led to the incorrect awarding of Erling Haaland's goal in the Manchester derby, acknowledging the error to Manchester United.
Fulham coach Alvaro Arbeloa has been fined 25,000 pounds and warned by the FA after suggesting officials would not allow Manchester United to lose.
Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr has apologised to his teammates and fans after receiving a red card for pulling an opponent's hair during their 1-0 win over Villarreal, potentially ruling him out of the upcoming El Clasico against Barcelona.
Erling Haaland scored a VAR-approved goal to give 10-man Manchester City a 1-0 victory over rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford. Despite Phil Foden's red card, City secured the win, moving them to second in the Premier League table.
On a dramatic Tuesday in the Champions League, Club Brugge secured a stunning 4-3 victory over Inter Milan, highlighted by Nicolo Tresoldi's hat-trick. Elsewhere, Bayern Munich was held to a 3-3 draw by Viking Stavanger after a late equaliser, while Barcelona recovered from a deficit to defeat Galatasaray 4-1. Atletico Madrid also overcame Manchester United 2-0, and Arsenal secured a 3-0 win against Lille, marking a night of significant results for Europe's top clubs.
Kylian Mbappe admitted VAR confusion distracted him before his missed penalty against Morocco but said France's talented squad still has plenty to prove despite reaching the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals with a 2-0 victory.
Saudi Arabia defeated the United Arab Emirates 2-0 to win the 27th Gulf Cup, marking their first title in 22 years. Goals from Hammam Al Hammami and Feras Al Brikan secured the victory, with the Saudi team maintaining a clean sheet throughout the tournament.
Erling Haaland struck twice as Manchester City edged Ipswich Town 3-2 to make it seven wins from seven in the Premier League. Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 through Pedro Neto's brace, while Liverpool rallied to defeat Brentford 2-1 after a red card turned the game.
Barcelona secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Getafe, extending their perfect LaLiga start and maintaining a five-point lead. Real Madrid also won 1-0 against Villarreal, despite Vinicius Jr receiving a red card, keeping them six points behind their arch-rivals.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) led a large protest in Mumbai, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke announced a further protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on October 10 if Kumar does not step down, citing alleged voter deletions and irregularities in recent elections. The protest, which saw participation from various activists and public figures, also called for freezing voter lists and abolishing the 2023 law on Election Commissioner appointments.
Thousands of young men and women, joined by prominent personalities, protested at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar despite police denial of permission. Organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the agitation highlighted concerns over transparency in CEC appointments and alleged irregularities in electoral roll revisions.
Atletico Madrid defeated 10-man Real Madrid 2-1 in a heated LaLiga derby at the Metropolitano. Goals from Alejandro Grimaldo and Jonathan David secured the win, moving Atletico above Real in the standings. Real's Dean Huijsen was sent off, and Antonio Ruediger scored a late consolation goal.
Cody Gakpo scored a stoppage-time equaliser for the Netherlands, securing a 1-1 draw against Germany in their Nations League opener, spoiling Juergen Klopp's debut as Germany's coach. Other Nations League matches saw Erling Haaland lead Norway to victory over Denmark, Portugal defeat Wales, and Greece snatch a late win against Serbia.
Hansi Flick criticises refereeing and VAR decisions after Barcelona's 2-0 Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid, questioning a denied penalty and Pau Cubarsi's red card.
UEFA rejects Barcelona's complaint over a controversial refereeing decision in their Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid, ruling the protest inadmissible ahead of the second leg.
Football's law-making body IFAB has confirmed that Switzerland forward Breel Embolo should not have been sent off during the World Cup quarter-final against Argentina, stating that VAR intervention was incorrectly applied.
Real Madrid's flawless start to the LaLiga season concluded with a 1-0 defeat against Real Betis. Substitute Troy Parrott scored the decisive goal, and goalkeeper Alvaro Valles saved a late penalty from Kylian Mbappe, securing a significant victory for Betis. Madrid manager Jose Mourinho expressed pride in his team's performance despite the loss.
Manchester City began the post-Pep Guardiola era with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Bournemouth, sealed by Josko Gvardiol's stoppage-time VAR-approved winner.
Arsenal successfully defended their Premier League title challenge by defeating Chelsea 2-1, recovering from an early concession with goals from Kai Havertz and captain Martin Odegaard, maintaining a perfect start to the season.
Celtic suffered a devastating exit from the Champions League after squandering a four-goal aggregate lead against Austrian side LASK, losing 5-4 overall.
Barcelona secured a dominant 5-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano, with Raphinha and Lamine Yamal each scoring twice, propelling the Catalan giants to the top of the LaLiga table on goal difference.
The UEFA Champions League group stage commenced with contrasting fortunes for debutants Como and Sabah. Italian side Como secured a dominant 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig, celebrating their first-ever qualification in style at their upgraded home stadium. In contrast, Azerbaijani champions Sabah faced a challenging debut, suffering a 4-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Paris St Germain, Bayern Munich, and Napoli all secured crucial victories in their respective European football leagues, with Ferran Torres, Harry Kane, and Stanislav Lobotka scoring decisive goals. Juventus, however, suffered a late defeat to Sassuolo.
Former FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce has strongly criticised President Gianni Infantino's abandoned plans to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors, labelling the proposal 'ludicrous' and urging FIFA to prioritise the interests of fans over profit.
Real Madrid, Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, Real Betis, Aston Villa, and AEK Athens all secured victories in their opening Champions League matches.
Manchester City secured a narrow 1-0 victory over promoted Coventry City in the Premier League, maintaining their perfect start to the season despite a significant spending spree. Other matches saw Crystal Palace claim their first win against Fulham, while Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton, Leeds, Brentford, and Sunderland all played out draws. Several teams, including Coventry and Fulham, remain without points after three games.
Bukayo Saka's second-half goal secured a 1-0 victory for Arsenal against Aston Villa, marking their second consecutive win in the Premier League season.
Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scored for Barcelona in their 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao at the Camp Nou, marking their first home win of the LaLiga season and putting them level on points at the top of the table.
FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has staunchly defended the officiating in Argentina's 3-2 World Cup victory over Egypt, dismissing allegations of bias and asserting that match officials operated with complete independence, despite Egypt's complaints about unfair treatment.
