2026 World Cup could trial bold VAR change to avoid mistake Sean Dyche previously raged over

VAR could reportedly be used to check corner kicks during the 2026 World Cup.

Current rules do not allow VAR officials to review the awarding of corners, which are given by the referee or their assistants.

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But according to multiple reports, such intervention could come into play at the World Cup next summer.

The International Football Association Board [IFAB], football’s lawmaking body, may allow tournaments to run trials of new rules.

As a result, the upcoming World Cup could test out the use of VAR on corner kicks.

Officials would be able to determine whether or not the ball has fully gone out of play, or which player last touched it beforehand.

There is said to be support for such a trial in order to avoid corners being wrongfully awarded in important matches.

IFAB have held internal discussions about increasing VAR powers, but there is concern over potential delays when checking corners.

VAR reviews of inaccurate of second yellow cards, which lead to a red card, have also been discussed, but these decisions are subjective.

IFAB will need to approve the use of trials at the 2026 World Cup in their annual general meeting, which will be held in March.

Should the trial go ahead and eventually become law in football, Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche may be one manager who approves following a nightmare run in which his side was on the wrong end of incorrect refereeing decisions.

Sean Dyche anger on corner decision

When Bournemouth beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 in October, they took the lead through Marcus Tavernier in the 25th minute.

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Tavernier scored directly from a corner, which is also known as an Olimpico goal.

But replays showed the ball coming off a Bournemouth player, so the corner should not have been awarded in the first place.

Forest boss Sean Dyche vented his frustrations afterwards, and suggested that VAR should be allowed to check corner kicks.

“It’s not inconclusive,” he said during a post-match interview via Sky Sports. “I’ve seen it back.

“Apparently today, the assistant referee can see 78 yards away. It’s got to change. That’s two in a week. Two decisions that are not right have gone against us in a week.

“Yes, of course, we then have to deal with the situation which we didn’t do as well. But it is tough when there’s a lot of noise about corners at this club and then they give corners that aren’t corners.

“We had one last week, one this week. It’s very tough on the team to take decisions like that.

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“We talk about the margins in football, we talk about VAR, why’s it not brought in?

“Last week, really poor decision, cross, goes in. This week, really poor decision, cross, goes in. Well get VAR on it then because it takes eight seconds to go ‘It’s in’ or ‘It’s out’.”