FIFA cites technical outage for Qatar‑Switzerland VAR controversy

FIFA confirmed that a technical outage prevented the semi‑automated offside technology from operating during the Qatar‑Switzerland match, leading to the disputed opening goal. Officials said the unexpected glitch affected only that specific incident.

The situation allowed Switzerland's goal against Qatar to stand, sparking further debate over VAR reliability. FIFA announced plans to tighten system audits to avoid similar failures in future tournaments.

The statement has reignited discussions about the transparency and consistency of video‑assisted refereeing.