World Cup VAR review: Misapplied protocols leave Balogun wrongly red-cardedplayGomez: USMNT will grow from win vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina (1:33)Andy DaviesMultiple AuthorsJul 1, 2026, 10:30 PM ET
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The video assistant referee causes controversy every week, whether it be the Premier League, Champions League or FA Cup, but now we have a 104-game FIFA men’s World Cup to cover, so how are the decisions made this summer and are they correct?
For the tournament, we are taking a look at the major incidents to examine and explain the process in terms of both VAR protocol and the laws of the game.
Andy Davies (@andydaviesref) is a former Select Group referee, with over 12 seasons on the elite list, working across the Premier League and Championship. With extensive experience at the elite level, he has operated within the VAR space in the Premier League and offers a unique insight into the processes, rationale and protocols that are delivered on a World Cup matchday.
July 1
United States vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina
Referee: Raphael Claus
VAR: Juan Ernesto Soto Arévalo
Time: 63 minutes
Incident: VAR overturn. Red card given to USMNT forward Folarin Balogun for serious foul play (SFP).
What happened: U.S. goal scorer Balogun was sent off following a VAR check after what seemed like innocuous contact with Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic.
VAR decision: VAR recommended an on-field review for a possible red card for SFP.
Folarin Balogun was sent off in the 64th minute for serious foul play. Maja Hitij – FIFA/FIFA via Getty ImagesVAR review: VAR was uncomfortable with the replays that showed the Bosnian defender’s right ankle buckle under contact from Balogun when both players were challenging for the ball. VAR believed Balogun was dangerous in his play and recommended the referee visit the pitchside monitor to review for a possible red card.Verdict: Balogun can feel unfortunate to be red carded in this situation as, in my opinion, this was not a red card offense. With both players challenging for ball, the contact from Balogun on Muharemovic, while it looked bad in slow motion, was purely accidental and an unfortunate result from two players challenging for possession of the ball in a normal football movement.VAR made their recommendation to the referee based on slow-motion and still replays, which is not aligned with VAR protocols, as these should be used for only point-of-contact purposes in a red card tackle situation. Once at the screen, however, it would have been a surprise if the referee did not send off Balogun considering the pictures he was presented by VAR.
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