FIFA defends its decision to give Embolo a red card in the Switzerland-Argentina match.

The 2026 World Cup quarter-final match between Switzerland and Argentina is over, but the controversy surrounding striker Breel Embolo's red card remains a focal point of attention. Recently, a FIFA spokesperson defended the refereeing team's decision, clarifying the technical perspective behind the penalty.

Controversy surrounding Embolo's red card at the 2026 World Cup.

In the aforementioned match, Breel Embolo received a second yellow card and was sent off after a challenge with Leandro Paredes. The referee determined that the Swiss striker had dived. Although current regulations do not allow VAR to intervene in yellow card situations or review the nature of diving, the VAR team still provided advice to change the decision.

This move immediately drew a reaction from the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The governing body argued that the referee and VAR had handled the situation incorrectly, as VAR is only authorized to intervene in cases of "mistaken identity," and not to correct the nature of a regular foul.

FIFA's argument: Protecting fairness by expanding the rules.

Explaining the controversial decision, FIFA stated that the interpretation of the "misidentification of a player" error has been consistently applied throughout the tournament. According to the organization, if a player's diving causes the referee to wrongly penalize an opponent, VAR can intervene to correct that actual error.

FIFA emphasized that intervention helps restore fairness and prevent players from receiving incorrect disciplinary actions, especially in situations leading to a second yellow card, a direct red card, or suspension due to accumulated cards. Therefore, FIFA affirmed that this was not an error on the part of the referees officiating the match.

Reactions from the IFAB and the direction for VAR rules.

Besides defending its decision on the spot, FIFA stated that it maintains regular communication with IFAB. For its part, IFAB noted that this flexible approach at the 2026 World Cup has received much positive feedback from experts and the public.

This issue was included in the agenda for the review and revision of the VAR Protocol at the most recent Annual General Meeting (AGM). However, the IFAB also clarified that this approach will not be officially permitted in other competitions until a comprehensive evaluation process is complete.