Football's law-making body, the International Football Association Board (Ifab), has approved plans to extend the use of video assistant referees to second yellow cards and corner kicks, provided the checks do not disrupt the flow of play. The decision, taken at Ifab's annual business meeting on Tuesday, will likely be ratified at the organisation's AGM next month.
Under the new rules, VAR will intervene on second yellow cards only when there is “clear factual evidence” that a card was wrongly awarded and led to a red, or if the wrong player was penalised. For corners, reviews will be permitted if the initial decision was clearly wrong, but only if the check “can be done immediately and without delaying the restart”.
Ifab stressed that these changes are “specific extensions” and that the body does not support a broader expansion of VAR’s remit, which remains restricted to goals, penalties, red cards and mistaken identity. The announcement comes amid growing concern among lawmakers over delays caused by video technology, with Ifab also introducing new measures to speed up play.
Other changes include an extension of the “countdown principle” for goalkeepers—who now have eight seconds to release the ball from their hands—to goal-kicks and throw-ins. Additionally, a 10-second limit will be imposed on players leaving the field when substituted, aiming to reduce time-wasting.
The news is unlikely to be welcomed by many supporters, as frustration with VAR persists despite repeated attempts to improve its processes. Last week, a five-minute delay occurred in the Carabao Cup tie between Newcastle and Manchester City after semi-automated offside technology failed to identify the ball’s location, leading to a City goal being overturned.
