- European football officials have issued a renewed directive for Video Assistant Referees (VAR), stating that interventions should only occur in cases of "blatantly incorrect" decisions or clear missed incidents, aiming to reduce lengthy reviews and keep referees central to decision-making.
- The directive follows a significant meeting involving referee chiefs from all 55 national associations and the International Football Association Board (Ifab), where a consensus was reached to streamline officiating.
- Beyond VAR, the gathering also saw unanimous support for measures designed to speed up game restarts, including time limits for substitutions and five-second countdowns for goal kicks and throw-ins.
- Further clarification was provided on the "mistaken identity" protocol, confirming it cannot be applied to simulation incidents until a comprehensive review of its use at the World Cup is complete, with VARs currently only able to identify the correct player for a caution, not alter the offence.
- Roberto Rosetti, Uefa’s director for refereeing, highlighted the importance of these agreed guidelines for improving the understanding of refereeing decisions among all stakeholders, while Uefa is not expected to adopt other optional World Cup measures like red cards for covering mouths or VAR checks on corners.
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