Croatia demand VAR audio from FIFA over disallowed Gvardiol goal and England half-time controversy

Croatia’s Football Federation has publicly accused FIFA of failing to protect the game after receiving no reply to a formal complaint lodged in the wake of their 2-1 round-of-32 defeat to Portugal at the 2026 World Cup.

The flashpoint came when Josko Gvardiol appeared to pull Croatia level, only for VAR to disallow the goal on the grounds that the ball had made contact with striker Igor Matanovic before deflecting off Portugal defender Renato Veiga. The decision hinged on microchip technology embedded in the Adidas match ball, which detected a sound wave as the ball passed Matanovic — a form of evidence Croatia’s federation found deeply troubling.

Federation president Marijan Kustic sent what technical director Stipe Pletikosa described as a “harsh letter” to FIFA the day after the Portugal match, requesting full access to the VAR audio and communications surrounding the chip-based call. Pletikosa confirmed the letter has gone unanswered.

“We took an official position and immediately the day after the incident in the match with Portugal, President Kustić sent a harsh letter to FIFA, requesting insight into the VAR communication regarding that infamous chip,” Pletikosa told RTL. “We have not received a response to this day.”

Pletikosa broadened his criticism beyond the Portugal game, pointing to an 18-minute half-time interval during Croatia’s group-stage match against England — a game the 2018 finalists lost 4-2 in Dallas — as further evidence of what he sees as a pattern of mismanagement.

“FIFA has stopped protecting football for the first time,” he said. “It has had better and darker periods, but it has always protected the game. I’m not talking about referees — they will always make mistakes, it’s a normal and integral part of the game. But the hydration break, the chips, the 18 minutes of half-time in the Croatia-England game… it has gone so far that the game is no longer protected.”

Croatia’s exit ends their tournament having lost both meaningful matches — to England in the group stage and to Portugal in the last 32 — with their federation now seeking institutional accountability for decisions they believe went beyond ordinary refereeing error. FIFA has not publicly commented on the letter.