FIFA has explained the VAR controversy during Switzerland vs Qatar at the FIFA World Cup 2026, confirming a technical issue affected the offside animation graphic. Meanwhile, former England defender Gary Neville has slammed FIFA, saying it’s like a dictatorship.

FIFA have confirmed that a technical issue affected the VAR visuals during the controversial opening goal incident in the Switzerland vs Qatar match at the
FIFA World Cup 2026.

Switzerland were awarded a penalty in the 14th minute after Remo Freuler went down following a collision with Qatar goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada. Breel Embolo stepped up and converted from the spot to give Switzerland the lead.

However, the decision quickly became a talking point as replays appeared to suggest that Freuler may have been in an offside position before the penalty was awarded. The incident was checked by VAR, but no semi-automated offside animation was shown to viewers, leading to questions from fans and pundits.

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FIFA have now revealed that the technology used to generate the onside animation graphic had briefly stopped working during the incident. However, FIFA clarified that the VAR process itself was not affected and the officials followed the regular procedure while reviewing the decision.

“During the Qatar vs. Switzerland match in the San Francisco Bay Area, a brief technical outage prevented the onside animation graphic from being generated ahead of the penalty awarded to Switzerland in the 14th minute. The issue was quickly resolved,” FIFA said in a statement.

“The workflow of the VAR was not affected by this issue and followed the normal procedure in checking the on-field decision. The lines used by the VAR to check the position of the relevant players did not show the attacking player to be in an offside position in either of the two situations immediately before the penalty decision,” FIFA added.

During the Qatar vs. Switzerland match in the San Francisco Bay Area, a brief technical outage prevented the onside animation graphic from being generated ahead of the penalty awarded to Switzerland in the 14th minute. The issue was quickly resolved.

The workflow of the VAR was… pic.twitter.com/ONpWxXDPE6

— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) June 13, 2026Neville slams FIFA

The lack of a replay created frustration among some experts, with former England defender Gary Neville questioning why FIFA did not show the decision clearly to fans. Speaking during the match broadcast on ITV, Neville said: “Offside. We all think it here. Everybody at home thinks it. FIFA are the host broadcaster and they have the semi-automatic decision that they can show us. Why are they not showing us?”

“It’s like a dictator. Honestly, it’s like a dictatorship, this. The idea that they hold this evidence internally and don’t show fans of countries that are playing in tournaments. It’s absolutely ridiculous. Honestly to not show the evidence of an offisde. Prove to us it’s offside. Show it straight away. Why not the transparency?” he added.

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The controversy added another talking point around VAR technology, but FIFA insisted that the final decision was correctly checked and the temporary technical issue did not impact the outcome of the review.

Frequently Asked QuestionsWill FIFA improve VAR transparency for future World Cup matches?

FIFA has confirmed a technical issue affected the VAR visuals during the Switzerland vs. Qatar match at the FIFA World Cup 2026, specifically impacting the offside animation graphic.

How will this VAR incident affect fan trust in the technology?

FIFA confirmed a technical issue affected the VAR offside animation graphic during the Switzerland vs. Qatar match, but stated the VAR process itself was not impacted.

Could similar technical issues impact other major sporting events?

FIFA has confirmed that a technical issue affected VAR visuals during the Switzerland vs. Qatar match at the FIFA World Cup 2026, specifically impacting the onside animation graphic. This brief outage was quickly resolved and did not impact the final decision.

First Published:
June 14, 2026, 06:39 IST

HomeSportsFootballFIFA breaks silence on VAR controversy during Switzerland vs Qatar clash after decision questioned: ‘It’s like a dictatorship’End of Article