Morocco’s World Cup quarter-final against France will be the first match affected by FIFA’s reinforcement of its VAR system, as football’s governing body seeks to avoid another refereeing controversy in one of the tournament’s most closely watched fixtures.
beIN Sports reported that FIFA has reinforced VAR arrangements for the France-Morocco match after several decisions during the 2026 World Cup triggered criticism from fans, players and analysts.
FIFA will station VAR officials at the stadium, including a reserve VAR, instead of relying only on the central video operation room in Dallas.
The measure comes as video reviews, disallowed goals and disciplinary calls have again placed refereeing at the center of the tournament.
FIFA Referees Committee chairman Pierluigi Collina defended the system, saying decisions are made independently and without outside influence. He said VAR checks every goal and that infringements in the attacking phase can trigger reviews even when they occur several seconds before the ball crosses the line.
The match, scheduled for Thursday at Boston Stadium, will decide who reaches the semi-finals and has drawn added scrutiny because of the officiating context surrounding both teams.
Morocco and France last met in the 2022 World Cup semi-final, a game still cited by Moroccan fans over disputed refereeing decisions.
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