We're technology experts. This is the real problem with VAR at the World Cup

Controversy around VAR and related technologies has dominated this FIFA men’s World Cup quarterfinals, despite their original goal of reducing errors. Several contentious calls shaped England’s 2-1 win over Norway, including one that disallowed a Norwegian goal due to an earlier foul and another that allowed an English goal despite an apparent earlier ball-and-overhead-cable collision. Argentina’s match against Switzerland also turned on referee action: after a game-ending second yellow card to Swiss forward Breel Embolo. The article says FIFA pointed to “snicko” ball-contact detection for the England decision, while VAR—an off-field panel reviewing replays—was central to the other two calls. It argues that many disputes involve subjective judgment on fouls, penalties, and handballs, where even experts may differ. FIFA’s head of referees Pierluigi Collina said VAR must adapt to each referee’s tolerance for contact, making consistency hard.