4. Video assistant referee (VAR)
The provision as it is printed, and everything on Ruleside that turns on it.
The referee may be assisted by a video assistant referee (VAR) only in the event of a ‘clear and obvious error' or ‘serious missed incident' in relation to:
Verdicts that turn on it 5
Walk a practice scenario to any of these and this clause is part of the answer.
- Not reviewable: outside the categoriesvar-protocol
- VAR intervention was correct: clear and obvious errorvar-protocol
- Reviewable: a clearly incorrect corner can be corrected herevar-protocol
- Not reviewable: no incorrectly awarded corner to correctvar-protocol
- Not correctable: competition option unavailable or the moment has passedvar-protocol
Explained in the rules library 6
The plain-language pages that build on this provision.
Applied in these incidents 6
Real decisions where this clause decided what should have happened.
- Embolo's red cardArgentina vs Switzerland
- The shot that may have brushed an armHaiti vs Scotland
- Mac Allister's challenge before Messi's goalArgentina vs Austria
- Uzbekistan's disallowed goalPortugal vs Uzbekistan
- The corner that was never givenUSA vs Paraguay
- The card moved from Ream to AlmironUSA vs Paraguay
Changed for 2026/27 3
What this provision replaced, and when it took effect.
Questions that ask it 5
Points in a walk where the reader is deciding this provision.
- What scenario are you checking VAR's decision on?var-protocol
- Which of the reviewable categories is the incident in?var-protocol
- handoff_penaltyvar-protocol
- Was a corner kick awarded that clearly should not have been?var-protocol
- Has the competition adopted this review, and can it still be corrected without delay?var-protocol
Answered differently by competition 1
This clause hands the answer to whoever runs the competition, so it has more than one.
The Laws of the Game are published by The IFAB and quoted here for the purpose of explaining the decisions on this site. Ruleside is not affiliated with The IFAB or FIFA. Every clause of The Referee that Ruleside cites.