The 2025-26 football season has been marred by shocking VAR errors, sparking global outrage. From disallowed goals to missed penalties, these are the most controversial calls ranked by injustice.
The 2025-26 football season has become synonymous with VAR controversy 2026, as a wave of incorrect and inconsistent video assistant referee decisions has shaken confidence in officiating across Europe’s top leagues. From pivotal title races to Champions League knockout drama, the VAR has repeatedly failed to deliver the fairness it promised, with real consequences on match outcomes and league standings.
Topping the list is the controversial disallowance of Mohamed Salah’s goal for Liverpool against Manchester City in February 2026. Despite Phil Foden being clearly behind the second-last defender, the assistant referee flagged for offside, and VAR upheld the call. Frame-by-frame analysis later confirmed Foden was level, prompting Jürgen Klopp to call it “a joke on live television.” The match ended 1-1, costing Liverpool two vital points in the Premier League title race.
Another defining moment came in the Bundesliga clash between Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig. Sébastien Haller was brought down in the box by Nordi Mukiele, but no penalty was awarded. The VAR review lasted over three minutes, yet no intervention occurred. Leipzig scored on the counterattack moments later. Analysts suggest the VAR official was distracted by an off-field incident, highlighting systemic flaws in concentration and protocol.
Data from FBref and Opta indicate that Liverpool, Inter Milan, and Atlético Madrid have suffered the most from adverse VAR decisions this season. Liverpool alone has had four clear penalties missed or disallowed, including one against Aston Villa where Emiliano Martínez clearly fouled Darwin Núñez.
In Italy, Inter Milan’s title hopes were dented after a disallowed goal against Napoli, where Marko Arnautović was incorrectly flagged for pushing Amir Rrahmani. Replays showed minimal contact, and Serie A’s refereeing committee later admitted the error. Experts believe that smaller clubs like Leicester City and Bologna face even greater bias, as only 38% of their VAR appeals are upheld compared to 71% for top-six teams.
While FIFA claims VAR has improved decision accuracy by 6.8%, the 2025-26 season tells a different story. Independent audits reveal 24 high-impact errors across the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1—up from 17 the previous year. Alarmingly, only 53% of clear and obvious mistakes were corrected, down from 64% in 2024-25.
In the Champions League, VAR interventions increased to 2.3 per match, yet critical errors persisted. The most infamous was in the group stage match between PSG and Benfica, where a handball by Vinícius Jr. went unpunished despite direct ball-to-hand contact. UEFA later acknowledged the oversight but emphasized that “context” influenced the non-call. Analysts suggest the lack of transparency in VAR communication remains football’s biggest obstacle to trust.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, reforms are urgently needed. Proposals include mandatory on-field reviews for all subjective decisions, standardized communication protocols, and the use of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) in all matches.
“We’re not watching football anymore—we’re watching referees debate in a bunker. The game is losing its rhythm and emotion,” said Michael Owen, former England striker and BBC pundit.
The Premier League has begun testing real-time audio explanations in select stadiums, while La Liga is piloting AI-assisted offside detection. If implemented globally, these changes could restore credibility. FIFA has confirmed SAOT will be used at the World Cup, reducing human error in marginal calls.
Q: What is VAR in football?
A: VAR (Video Assistant Referee) is a system that uses video footage to assist the on-field referee in making accurate decisions on goals, penalties, red cards, and cases of mistaken identity.
Q: Which league uses VAR the best?
A: According to the IFAB 2026 report, the Bundesliga has the highest accuracy rate (92%) and fastest average review time (70 seconds), making it the most efficient in VAR implementation.
Q: Will VAR be used at the 2026 World Cup?
A: Yes, VAR will be fully operational at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including semi-automated offside technology to support faster and more accurate decisions.
