FIFA introduced a stand-by VAR official for the World Cup quarter-finals, a move that left ITV commentators Jon Champion and Ally McCoist visibly amused during the France vs. Morocco match. The new arrangement, which includes both a primary and reserve VAR official at each stadium, was implemented to address scrutiny over refereeing standards at the tournament.
During the broadcast, Champion suggested that fewer officials might improve decision-making, prompting McCoist to quip: 'It's not one to tell the grandkids is it. "It was brilliant lads, I was a stand-by VAR at the World Cup." That must have been thrilling, grandpa.' He added: 'What did you do at that World Cup, grandpa? Nothing.'
VAR Delay and Penalty Incident
The commentators' skepticism seemed justified when a notable VAR delay occurred after a penalty was awarded for a foul on Kylian Mbappe. All VAR rulings at the World Cup had previously been processed at the International Broadcast Centre in Dallas. To reduce technical difficulties, two officials are now stationed on-site for the rest of the tournament. Uruguay's Leodan Gonzalez and Nicaragua's Tatiana Guzman were the appointed officials at Boston Stadium for France's 2-0 victory over Morocco.
Refereeing Controversies and Allegations
The pre-match build-up was dominated by FIFA's refereeing choices, including an all-Argentine officiating team for the France-Morocco match. This followed Egypt's manager accusing FIFA of rigging his side's 3-2 loss to Argentina, claiming: 'They want Messi to stay in the tournament. In football, many things happen off the pitch because of interests.'
FIFA's head of refereeing Pierluigi Collina responded: 'Unfounded allegations have no place in our sport. Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials. When this happens, it may provoke reactions that lead to threats against them and their families.'
