IFAB set to broaden VAR remit — but only if play keeps moving
Football’s lawmakers have signalled a notable shift in how video technology could be used in matches, with the International Football Association Board (IFAB) backing proposals that would allow VAR intervention on second yellow cards and corner-kick decisions.
The key caveat, however, is speed. IFAB’s support is explicitly tied to the process not “slowing the flow of play”, reflecting ongoing concerns across the game that VAR checks can disrupt rhythm and intensify frustration inside stadiums.
Under the plans, VAR would be permitted to step in where a second caution leads to a red card — a decision currently outside the system’s standard scope, which typically covers goals, penalties, straight red cards and cases of mistaken identity. The intention is to reduce match-altering errors in scenarios that can decide a contest just as decisively as a straight dismissal.
Similarly, expanding reviews to include corner decisions aims to address situations where replays show a clear deflection or incorrect restart being awarded. Advocates argue that corners often lead directly to chances and goals, making accuracy important, while critics worry it could open the door to frequent stoppages for marginal calls.
Balancing accuracy and entertainment
IFAB’s stance underlines a wider balancing act: improving decision-making without turning matches into stop-start events. The emphasis on maintaining tempo suggests any rollout would be carefully limited — likely prioritising only obvious errors rather than forensic reviews of every incident.
Eight-second restart “countdown” expanded
Alongside potential VAR changes, IFAB is also pushing measures designed to keep the ball in play more consistently.
The organisation has expanded the so-called “countdown principle”, which already requires goalkeepers to release the ball from their hands within eight seconds. That same eight-second expectation is now set to be applied to goal-kicks and throw-ins, a move aimed at reducing time-wasting and encouraging quicker restarts.
While the finer points of enforcement will be key — including when the count begins and how strictly referees apply it — the direction of travel is clear: limit delays, increase effective playing time, and ensure teams can’t slow matches to a crawl through routine stoppages.
What happens next?
IFAB’s backing represents an important step, but it doesn’t automatically mean immediate, universal implementation. As with previous law adjustments, the proposals are expected to be shaped around practicality, with the potential for trials and refinements before broader adoption.
If applied successfully, the changes would mark another evolution in the modern game’s ongoing attempt to blend technology and officiating with the core requirement that football remains fast, fluid and watchable.
