FIFA are set to trial VAR checks on corner kicks at the 2026 World Cup.
FIFA’s proposal for reviews on corners was rejected at October’s International Football Association Board (IFAB) meeting, but world football’s governing body have decided to press ahead with the idea at the World Cup this summer.
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VAR could be allowed to intervene with corner kicks at the World CupCredit: Getty
FIFA referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina has been in favour of corners being reviewed for quite some time, arguing with the right technology, the check itself is both quick and reliable, and that by the time a player gets to the corner flag VAR could already have communicated its decision.
The English Football Association are understood to be against the proposed change, and contrary to Colina’s belief, fear it will slow down the match down, take power away from on-field officials and eventually lead to other parts of the game going to VAR, including free-kicks and throw-ins.
However, there is agreement from most leagues and clubs that another proposal, the review of second yellow cards, should be part of VAR’s powers. That change that is expected to come into force from next season.
One of the challenges with policing corners from the VAR room is installing cameras in the correct places to get a clear view. FIFA are confident this is feasible at the 2026 World Cup, but it may provide more difficult if the change is implemented for domestic games.
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The Adidas TRIONDA World Cup ball also comes with supplementary technology to aid the decision-making process. ‘Connected Ball Technology’ is intended to help match officials in identifying each individual touch of the ball, resulting in less time resolving specific incidents, including the awarding of a corner or handball.Â
Yet each domestic league uses a different ball, and unless the same technology is utilised across the board, VAR could struggle to make quick or definitive decisions.
Reviewing corners may work at the 2026 World Cup but simply be hard to replicate across all domestic leagues with the same level of speed or accuracy.
Should the trial go ahead and eventually become law in football, Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche may be one manager who approves following a nightmare run in which his side was on the wrong end of incorrect refereeing decisions.
Sean Dyche anger on corner decision
When Bournemouth beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 in October, they took the lead through Marcus Tavernier in the 25th minute.
Tavernier scored directly from a corner, which is also known as an Olimpico goal.
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Tavernier scored an Olimpico goal after Bournemouth controversially won a cornerCredit: Getty
But replays showed the ball coming off a Bournemouth player, so the corner should not have been awarded in the first place.
Forest boss Sean Dyche vented his frustrations afterwards, and suggested that VAR should be allowed to check corner kicks.
“It’s not inconclusive,” he said during a post-match interview. “I’ve seen it back.
“Apparently today, the assistant referee can see 78 yards away. It’s got to change. That’s two in a week. Two decisions that are not right have gone against us in a week.
“Yes, of course, we then have to deal with the situation which we didn’t do as well. But it is tough when there’s a lot of noise about corners at this club and then they give corners that aren’t corners.
“We had one last week, one this week. It’s very tough on the team to take decisions like that.
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Dyche suggested that VAR should be able to review cornersCredit: Getty
“We talk about the margins in football, we talk about VAR, why’s it not brought in?
“Last week, really poor decision, cross, goes in. This week, really poor decision, cross, goes in. Well get VAR on it then because it takes eight seconds to go ‘It’s in’ or ‘It’s out’.”