VAR

Using video assistant referee checks to rule on corners will not hold up matches, says Fifa’s head of referees Pierluigi Collina.

Domestic leagues have rejected the idea of bringing in VAR to review the awarding of corners.

The Fifa proposal was knocked back at an October meeting of the International Football Association Board (Ifab) – which determines the laws of the game.

However, world football’s governing body plans to trial the idea at the 2026 World Cup finals in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

“The main criteria is no delay. With corners, there is a physiological delay because when a corner is given, normally you wait until the two centre-backs come up,” Collina said at a briefing in Washington DC on Thursday when asked about potential delays.

“It normally takes 10-15 seconds to get the attackers ready. In these 10-15 seconds, if the corner kick is wrongly given, everybody has the evidence that the start of play is wrong and to me, it’s difficult to understand if they have the possibility to see that [the decision is wrong].

“Why do we have to hide our heads under the sand and hope that nothing happens on the corner kick which is taken?”

Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham, who sits on the Ifab board, has previously told BBC Sport he is against the change.

Collina cited the need to make correct decisions as the main reason for using VAR on corners.

“I think we should all have as the objective to make correct decisions on the field of play,” the former Italian referee said.

“It would be a pity if the result of a competition is decided not by what the players do on the field of play, but by an honest mistake made by the decision-maker.

“This is what convinced us 13, 14 years ago to start thinking how to support referees [with technology]. So if we can get this, to me, it’s positive.

“We discuss and we will see what will be the outcome because I think the objective would be worth it.”

The measures will be discussed further at the next Ifab meeting in January.

At an October meeting, Ifab agreed that VAR could be expanded to cover incorrectly shown second yellow cards that lead to a red.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank says it was an “absolute mistake” for the video assistant referee (VAR) to intervene and award Newcastle a penalty as his side earned a point in dramatic fashion at St James’ Park.

Cristian Romero’s injury-time overhead kick secured Spurs a 2-2 draw after the Magpies were awarded a controversial 86th-minute spot-kick with the score at 1-1.

Referee Thomas Bramall was sent to the pitchside monitor after VAR spotted Rodrigo Bentancur holding Newcastle defender Dan Burn in the penalty box as the hosts took a corner.

It looked like a tussle between the two players in the box as they both fell to the ground and, despite the official not giving the penalty initially, the Spurs midfielder was punished after the review.

Anthony Gordon converted from the spot before Romero’s 95th-minute leveller rescued a point for Frank’s men.

Premier League match manager said on X the penalty had been awarded because Bentancur “clearly does not look at the ball” while committing a “holding offence”.

Spurs were unhappy with the decision, while pundits were also quick to criticise, suggesting it was the kind of incident that happens at corners in most matches.

“It was an absolute mistake from the VAR,” said Spurs boss Frank.

“The referee did good to do the ref call and they encourage the refereeing call on the pitch. For me, that is never a penalty.

“Even speaking to some from Newcastle [they] don’t think it’s a penalty and we need consistency.

“I think the referee’s call on the pitch, he nailed it, and VAR can only be if it’s clear and obvious.”

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe added: “I hadn’t seen it, I’m only seeing it now. The big thing is the defender isn’t looking at the ball at all, he’s looking at Dan [Burn]. I think it’s probably the right call.”