Football's lawmakers are considering a rule change that would allow tournaments to run their own trials of new regulations, potentially enabling VAR to adjudicate on corner kicks at the 2026 World Cup. The International Football Association Board (Ifab) is exploring the option of permitting short-term trials as an alternative to the current system, where major tournaments typically adopt measures only after they have been tested in minor leagues or competitions.
If approved, the 48-team World Cup could be the first to trial VAR for corners, using the technology to determine whether the ball fully crossed the line or which team last touched it. There is growing support within football's governing bodies for this move, which is seen as a safety net against incorrect set-piece decisions influencing crucial matches, such as the World Cup final.
Ifab has been internally discussing extending VAR's reach this year, with increasing appetite for the system to handle fact-based decisions like whether a ball was out of play before a corner. However, concerns about adding extra delays to the game persist. Discussions have also included allowing VAR to review inaccurately awarded second yellow cards, though this is more challenging due to its subjective nature.
Any trial would not require rewriting VAR protocols and would not be carried over into other competitions like the Premier League. Changes to allow bespoke trials would need approval at Ifab's annual general meeting in March. Fifa has shown enthusiasm for new technology, having used semi-automated offside at the 2022 World Cup and introduced bodycams on referees at the Club World Cup last summer.
