World Cup Officiating Faces Scrutiny After 0 Paraguay Cards in France Last-16 Match
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 5
World Cup Officiating Faces Scrutiny After 0 Paraguay Cards in France Last-16 Match
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 5
Summary
0 Paraguay yellow cards in France’s bruising last-16 win have intensified scrutiny of referee Ilgiz Tantashev and pushed wider questions about World Cup officiating, VAR use and referee appointments to the fore.
24.4 free kicks and 2.54 yellow cards per match at this tournament, down from 27.7 and 3.55 in Qatar 2022, suggest referees are allowing more upper-body contact and reserving cautions for only reckless or tactical fouls.
VAR has added to the confusion: a wrongly awarded USMNT booking against Paraguay was overturned despite a protocol breach, while Germany’s goal against Ecuador stood after an apparent high-boot foul in the buildup.
FIFA’s neutral-confederation policy also narrowed the pool for France-Paraguay, making Uzbekistan’s Tantashev a defensible appointment on paper even as knockout matches between European and South American teams demand tighter control.
Later-stage matches are likely to bring even harsher scrutiny as players test the higher foul threshold and the tournament’s biggest contenders meet under greater pressure.