FIFA is introducing a quicker offside system for the 2026 World Cup, but it is not removing the assistant referee’s role entirely. Delayed flags have become one of the biggest frustrations in the ...

This beautiful game would be very ugly if offside didn't exist. At the World Cup, you'll see it often.

Micheal Barwegen is part of an all-Canadian crew at this World Cup, and says the new offside system makes his job easier in some ways ...

Here's how VAR works in soccer, what plays can be reviewed and what's new at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The law governing its modern application has 45 clauses and runs to more than 1,000 words. A former Premier League referee ...

Offside is one of those rules that constantly draws attention because of how inconsistently it gets reviewed. Plus, there are ...

Developed by Fifa in collaboration with Adidas, the connected ball technology was introduced to aid referees and facilitate ...

VAR reviews for offsides are becoming more frequent Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images Get free access to the most comprehensive World Cup coverage in The Athletic app. Offside calls generating ...

At this moment, referees are focusing their activities on integrating VAR (video assistant referee) with semi-automated ...

However, there was late controversy as Croatia believed they'd forced the game to extra time with a last-gasp equaliser. The ball was forced home by Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol in the 13th minute ...

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup introduces a larger format and more matches than ever before, attention also turns to the officials responsible for keeping the action under control on the sport’s biggest ...