Al Jazeera Reviews 5 World Cup VAR Calls After 1mm Iran Offside

3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jun 28

Five group-stage decisions anchor Al Jazeera’s review of 2026 World Cup officiating flashpoints, led by Iran’s stoppage-time equalizer against Egypt being ruled out for an offside measured by barely a millimetre.
That call mattered most because Shoja Khalilzadeh’s disallowed goal would have sent Iran into the knockout stage for the first time before VAR reversed the celebrations in Seattle.
Other tight interventions included Davinson Sanchez being ruled offside by a toe in Colombia’s draw with Portugal and Vinicius Jr’s goal being scrubbed in Brazil’s 3-0 win over Scotland for a disputed foul.
Two non-interventions also made the list: Ghana were denied a possible penalty in a 0-0 draw with England, and Germany’s goal against Ecuador stood despite appeals for a high-boot foul in the buildup.
The review underscores how VAR and refereeing decisions shaped group-stage outcomes, from lost wins to missed qualification chances, even as the tournament moved into the round of 32.