FIFA has changed its VAR operation for the rest of the World Cup, with match officials now stationed inside stadiums rather than at the central hub in Dallas, Texas. The move begins with Thursday's France against Morocco quarter-final and comes after renewed complaints about officiating at the tournament.
The decision gives the knockout stage a different feel, even if FIFA's refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has been clear that the integrity of the competition should not be questioned. He defended the match officials and rejected suggestions they could be influenced, saying: "Of course, constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of football, but unfounded allegations have no place in our sport."
Collina also said: "Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials." And he added: "Nobody can claim that FIFA refereeing can be influenced by anyone, not even by the FIFA president."
Why FIFA acted now
During the tournament, seven officials had been working from Dallas, but from the quarter-finals onwards five officials will be inside the stadiums. The change is designed to reduce technical risk in the final rounds, where every decision carries more weight and every error is magnified.
The pressure has already been intense. After Argentina's 3-2 victory over Egypt, allegations emerged that officials were favouring Argentina. Hossam Hassan claimed, "They want Messi to stay in the tournament," and said, "In football, many things happen off the pitch because of interests." He also argued, "What happened was unfair," insisting, "Egypt deserved to qualify," and "We were the better team."
The wider officiating debate
This is not an isolated argument about one match. The source says similar allegations of favouritism were made at the last World Cup in Qatar, while FIFA has also faced criticism after lifting Folarin Balogun's ban. Put together, it explains why the governing body has chosen to move VAR closer to the action for the knockout rounds.
The fixture list now moves quickly. Friday at 8pm UK time, Spain play Belgium in the second quarter-final. Saturday at 10pm, England take on Norway. Then on Sunday at 2am, Argentina face Switzerland.
For England, the significance is straightforward: as the tournament reaches its most sensitive stage, FIFA is under pressure to make every call look and feel as secure as possible. The new setup will not end debate, but it is a clear attempt to reduce one more source of controversy before the decisive matches arrive.
