Mi Nguyen
During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the internet flooded with comments of “VARgentina” and “this is so rigged” after Argentina made a sudden return in the Round of 16 match against Egypt after being down 0-2 until the 79th-minute mark. The controversy of Argentina’s 3-2 victory stems from a key Video Assistant Referee ruling.
In the 58th minute, Egypt scored in what it believed was its second goal, but a VAR review determined that a foul had happened in the moments preceding the goal. If the VAR ruling hadn’t happened, it would be very likely that the game ended in a 3-3 tie, and the teams would have to go to extra time, giving Egypt a larger chance of winning the game.
The Egyptian Football Association later claimed that the VAR system was not used appropriately by the referee. This allegation and other similar ones have led to many discussions about the potential exploitation of VAR and whether its existence is truly beneficial for soccer.
“At some point … the fans and the referee should be able to enjoy [the game] without mainly using some sort of computer or something like that,” said freshman Tejus Rakesh.
However, some think VAR makes cheating less prevalent.
“They have two refs watching the VAR, and then the third ref coming in to see the ruling,” said junior Urjita Debinath. “So you would have to have a lot of money to bribe all three refs [and] it makes cheating less rampant.”
But cheating is not the only concern that exists about VAR and other video technology used in officiating. The differences in the atmosphere of sports are also a common worry.
While the frequent stops and robotic precision of video replay technology do have a possibility of taking away from the experience of the match, many believe that the benefits outweigh the cons.
“Technology actually helps the game since it helps make tough calls and helps make better decisions that the referee might have,” said freshman Shuvam Dutta. “[It] helps remove bias that referees may have towards a particular team.”
It can also be argued that video replay technology does not bring anything that sports do not already contain.
“I’ll use soccer as an example,” Debinath said. “Soccer already has … momentum stops every so often, so using the VAR isn’t really that serious.”
Whatever be the opinion on its fairness and use, there is no denying that involvement of technology with sports is constantly increasing, in soccer and other sports. For example, the MLB first implemented its new Automated Ball Strike Challenge system during the 2026 season. This year’s World Cup was the most technologically advanced ever with the addition of sensor-equipped balls, AI-enabled 3D player avatars and other features.
The incessant implementation of new technologies in sports raises questions about the direction that sports are going in. Sports fans are conflicted about the presence of a need to prevent over-prevalence of technology in sports.
It is a common opinion that the role of human referees should be preserved in order to avoid the possibility of a future when sports have completely lost the excitement that compels people to watch them.
“It should be mainly the referee’s choice,” Rakesh said. “And it shouldn’t fully rely on the video [replay].”
However, some believe that intervention against technological development is not necessary because human referees will always play a role in sport officiating no matter how advanced technology becomes. For example, Debinath credits a large part of their role to stopping physical altercations and interacting with athletes.
“Having a human breath on the field with you is so much more beneficial to breaking fights apart,” Debinath said. “I don’t know how a robot’s going to do that because they’re just going to stand there, and then some guy’s just going to smack them away and start beating the other person.”
No matter in what direction technology goes in the future, controversy will always surround it. The only thing many sports fans can hope for is that they can continue loving the same game they always have.
