VAR’s Scope Widens To Include Corners And Second Yellow Cards

The scope of the VAR was widened Saturday to include corner kicks and second yellow cards.

Measures to speed up the game were also approved at the annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board, including a “countdown principle” applying to throw-ins and goal kicks.

In changes that will be implemented at this year’s World Cup, video replays will now be allowed to check and review red cards arising from “a clearly incorrect second yellow card” and be able to overturn a “clearly incorrectly awarded corner kick, provided that the review can be completed immediately and without delaying the restart.”

VAR can also look at mistaken identity, when the referee penalizes the wrong team for an offense, resulting in a red or yellow card being shown to the wrong player.

IFAB also agreed to trials being conducted to further look at tactical injury delays by goalkeepers in an effort to “deter this behavior.”

Last year, IFAB approved a rule change whereby the opposing team will be awarded a corner kick if a goalkeeper holds the ball for more than eight seconds.

There will now be a similar rule at throw-ins and goal kicks.

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If the referee considers that either is taking too long, a five-second visual countdown will be initiated. If the ball is not in play at the end of the countdown, the throw-in will be awarded to the opposing team, and the goal kick will instead be a corner for the opposing team.

In a further effort to quicken up the game, substituted players must leave the field of play within 10 seconds of the substitution board being displayed. If they don’t, the substitute will not be allowed onto the field until the first stoppage after one minute of play has elapsed.

Also, players who cause a delay to the game because of injury “will be required to leave the field of play and remain off for one minute once play has restarted.”

Consultation to combat players covering mouths in confrontations

IFAB said it will hold a consultation process to develop measures to deal with players covering their mouths when confronting opponents during matches.

Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni has been accused of racially abusing Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior during a recent Champions League playoff game while covering his mouth with his jersey.

Prestianni has denied racially insulting Vinícius. He did not play in the return match against Madrid on Wednesday after being provisionally banned for one match by UEFA.