Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz criticized the Video Assistant Referee system after his team was denied a penalty against England on Tuesday.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions regarding the consistency of VAR in high-stakes matches, where a single missed call can alter the trajectory of a national team's tournament.
The match took place at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, ending in a 0-0 draw [1]. Because of the result, both England and Ghana earned one point in Group L [1].
Queiroz expressed frustration following the match, suggesting that the technology failed to intervene during a pivotal moment. He believed Ghana was denied a clear penalty and that the situation may have warranted a red card for an England player.
"VAR must have 'gone for a coffee' after England escaped a penalty and a red card," Queiroz said.
The coach questioned whether the system was operational during the sequence in question. "Was VAR still working? It seemed to disappear at a crucial moment," Queiroz said.
Queiroz maintained that the technology is not fulfilling its intended purpose in the game. "We felt a clear penalty was denied; the technology is not doing its job," Queiroz said.
The Black Stars' coach focused his criticism on the lack of intervention, arguing that the system's failure to review the foul left his team disadvantaged in a critical group-stage encounter.
“"VAR must have 'gone for a coffee' after England escaped a penalty and a red card."”
The friction between coaching staffs and officiating technology continues to be a focal point of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. When a high-profile manager like Queiroz publicly questions the operational status of VAR, it increases pressure on FIFA to provide more transparency regarding the communication between on-field referees and the video booth to maintain the perceived integrity of the competition.
