FIFA VAR protocol reverses card, sends Swiss player off

A controversial new Video Assistant Referee protocol was used for the first time to reverse a mistaken identity booking and dismiss a player for simulation during the World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and Switzerland on July 11, 2026. The decision left Switzerland playing with 10 men in the latter stages of a major knockout match, sparking intense debate.

Swiss forward Breel Embolo was shown a red card in the 72nd minute after receiving a second yellow for an apparent dive. The incident began when referee overturned his initial decision, which had been to book Argentina’s Leandro Paredes for a foul on Embolo near the penalty area. Upon a VAR review, the referee rescinded Paredes’s yellow card and instead cautioned Embolo for simulation, ruling that the Swiss player had exaggerated contact to win a free kick. Since Embolo had been booked earlier in the match, the second yellow resulted in an automatic red card, forcing Switzerland to finish the game with 10 players.

This dramatic reversal was made possible by a new FIFA protocol for the 2026 World Cup, which expands VAR’s ability to intervene in cases of mistaken identity involving disciplinary cards. The rule, introduced...