VAR protocol4. Procedures·Page 158, 2026/27 edition

4. Procedures

The provision as it is printed, and everything on Ruleside that turns on it.

· For factual decisions, e.g. position of an offence or player (offside), point of contact (handball/foul), location (inside or outside the penalty area), ball out of play etc. a ‘VAR-only review' is usually appropriate but an ‘on-field review' (OFR) can be used for a factual decision if it will help manage the players/ match or ‘sell' the decision (e.g. a crucial match-deciding decision late in the game)
IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, page 158 · clause law-x-8602ee40

Verdicts that turn on it 1

Walk the tree to any of these and this clause is part of the answer.

VAR-only review: the question was one of factvar-protocol

Explained in the rules library 2

The plain-language pages that build on this provision.

Questions that ask it 1

Points in a walk where the reader is deciding this provision.

Was it a judgement call, such as the intensity of a challenge or a handball consideration?var-protocol

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 VAR protocol that Ruleside cites.