Ruleside
New for 2026/27·Law 5·From 1 July 2026

VAR Can Fix a Card Shown to the Wrong Player

Mistaken identity is now a reviewable category in its own right, for a yellow card as well as a red, and for the wrong player of either team.

Previous rule

Mistaken identity was handled inside the other categories, which left a wrongly given caution outside the protocol.

New rule

Mistaken identity is its own reviewable category, for a yellow or a red, and for the wrong player of either team.

What changed

The VAR protocol's list of reviewable decisions now names mistaken identity as its own heading: the referee cautions or sends off the wrong player. It covers a yellow card, not only a red, and it covers a card given to the wrong player of either team rather than only the wrong team-mate.

Why it matters

The offence is not in question here, only who committed it, which is why this one review survives the restart. Mistaken identity and a potential sending-off for violent conduct, spitting, biting or extremely offensive actions are the only things the referee may review once play has stopped and restarted.

Scenarios

The caution goes to the wrong shirt

Two defenders arrive together, the referee cautions the one who did not commit the foul, and play restarts.

Correct call: Reviewable. The card is moved to the correct player, and this is one of the few reviews still available after a restart.
Common mistake: Assuming a yellow card is never reviewable. The category is about identity, not about the colour.
Verdict: yellow-card

The offence itself is disputed

The right player was carded but the team argue it was not a foul at all.

Correct call: Not mistaken identity. That is a question for the ordinary categories, and after a restart it is closed.
Common mistake: Using the identity heading to reopen a decision about the offence.
Verdict: no-review
The law
Law 5 · 4. Video assistant referee (VAR)
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:
mistaken identity when the referee cautions or sends off the wrong player
Law 5 · Reviews after play has restarted
If play has stopped and restarted, the referee may only undertake a ‘review', and take the appropriate disciplinary sanction, for mistaken identity or for a potential sending-off offence relating to violent conduct, spitting, biting or extremely offensive, insulting and/or abusive action(s).