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The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the global governing body for soccer's rules, has confirmed that the VAR protocol concerning mistaken identity was improperly applied during the 2026 World Cup, emphasizing that it should not be used to penalize individual acts of simulation—as occurred when Switzerland's Breel Embolo was dismissed against Argentina.
Throughout the tournament held across North America, especially during the knockout rounds, Lionel Messi's march to the final was accompanied by a wave of swirling conspiracy theories. Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan gave voice to those grievances following his team's contentious round of 16 exit: "It's all about money. They want Messi to remain in the competition. In football, many things happen behind the scenes because of vested interests."
Switzerland was equally incensed when Breel Embolo received a second yellow card for simulation following a VAR review during the quarterfinal loss to Argentina.
"We are being punished because of a rule that is, to me, completely beyond comprehension," Swiss head coach Murat Yakin raged after his team's elimination was confirmed by Julián Alvarez's extra-time goal. It was so baffling, in fact, that IFAB has since issued a clarification to ensure this rule is not interpreted in the same manner again.
What Is IFAB's Update and What Does It Mean?
In a circular distributed on July 27, IFAB stated: "A yellow card (caution) which is not a second yellow card can only be reviewed to identify the player who committed the offense that was penalized; the offense itself cannot be reviewed or changed.
"The application of the mistaken identity clause to address simulation during the World Cup was positively received and will be incorporated into the comprehensive review of the VAR protocol announced in circular no. 32. However, it may not be applied in this manner until that review has been completed."
This represents IFAB offering some overdue clarification regarding one of the unintended consequences stemming from a new rule introduced for the World Cup. Had they acted more swiftly, Embolo and Switzerland might not have been unjustly penalized.
In the opening match of the World Cup on American soil, this ambiguity was already apparent. USMNT captain Tim Ream was initially cautioned for what referee Danny Makkelie considered a foul on Miguel Almirón. The Dutch official was directed to the pitchside monitor to reassess the incident and determined that the Paraguay forward had dived, resulting in Ream's yellow card being transferred to Almirón.
As IFAB were keen to acknowledge, this was "well received"—but technically incorrect.
Reviewing yellow cards under the mistaken identity provision does not grant officials the opportunity to re-referee the match. It is only intended for situations where the wrong player has been penalized for the same offense. Ream was booked for a foul, while Almirón was cautioned for diving—these are two entirely distinct infractions.
Perhaps when officials revisit the laws in the future this will be amended, but it was incorrect during the World Cup and will remain a misinterpretation of the rules going forward. Not that this offers any consolation to Switzerland.
How Should Argentina vs. Switzerland Have Been Refereed Correctly?
With Argentina and Switzerland locked at 1–1 and the second hydration break of the quarterfinal approaching, Embolo attempted to hold off Leandro Paredes. The Swiss forward was already going to ground without any contact, so he extended a leg to engineer a collision with Argentina's midfielder.
Referee João Pedro Silva Pinheiro somehow failed to detect the obvious dive and booked Paredes for an alleged foul. That constituted a clear and obvious error, so the on-field official was guided to the touchline monitor. Pinheiro required little time to reach his verdict.
"After review," the referee declared, "there is no foul for [Argentina's] No. 5. And [Switzerland's] No. 7, there is a clear simulation. Final decision: Yellow card to No. 7."
Just as with Ream and Almirón, Paredes and Embolo were penalized for different offenses. Regardless of whether the Swiss striker did indeed dive, the referee had no authority to use VAR to issue him a yellow card for that infraction. Since it was Embolo's second booking, he was sent off, much to his visible distress.
"After the equalizer, the momentum was with us, and I wanted to make substitutions there as well, to introduce fresh attacking options," Yakin would later reflect. "We were dominant. We controlled the match. But the red card..." Argentina regrouped and battled through to the semifinal, fueling further accusations of foul play in the process.
Nevertheless, if IFAB's announcement has demonstrated anything, it is that conspiracy should never be assumed when incompetence provides a sufficient explanation.