FIFA moves VAR officials on-site for England vs Argentina semi-final after quarter-final controversy

FIFA has moved its Video Assistant Referees on-site for the World Cup semi-finals, placing officials inside each host stadium rather than operating from a central hub — a direct response to controversial decisions that overshadowed the quarter-final stage.

Prior to the change, VAR officials had been working remotely from the International Broadcast Centre in Dallas regardless of where matches were being played. The shift means that for England’s semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta, and France’s clash with Spain in Dallas, primary and reserve VAR officials will be physically present at each venue.

The decision follows a series of high-profile incidents in the quarter-finals. England had a penalty overturned despite Djed Spence appearing to be brought down inside the box by a Norwegian defender, while Egypt had a goal disallowed for a foul in the build-up — with officials ruling that Lisandro Martinez had been fouled at the start of the passage of play.

The on-site officials are designed to serve as a safety net against communication or technical failures. Should contact with the Dallas hub be lost, those inside the stadium can assess incidents independently and advise the referee to initiate reviews without disrupting the match.

Dan Hunt, owner of FC Dallas and a FIFA World Cup Organising Committee member, welcomed the move while acknowledging uncertainty about how the new communication structure will operate in practice. “There’s a lot of drama that unfolds in these games,” Hunt said. “And look, when you are asking only four officials to manage what’s going on on the field, it’s very difficult on a field that’s much bigger than an American football field. I’m glad that there’s gonna be on-site. I don’t know what that communication’s gonna look like.”

The change had already been trialled at a handful of matches before the quarter-final stage, but is now being applied consistently across the remaining fixtures.

For the Spain vs France semi-final, Ivan Barton has been appointed as referee, assisted by David Moran of El Salvador and Nicaragua’s Antonio Pupiro — both regular members of his officiating team in CONCACAF and FIFA competitions. Poland’s Tomasz Kwiatkowski will serve as lead VAR official for that match.