A critical Video Assistant Referee decision eliminated Croatia from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The semi-automated offside technology ruled out a goal from defender Joško Gvardiol during the match against England.
The call proved fatal to Croatia’s tournament hopes. Subsequent analysis revealed the VAR process used an incorrect image frame to invalidate the goal. This procedural failure has sparked widespread scrutiny regarding the reliability of the officiating system.
Gvardiol, who had faced earlier criticism, was absent from the final group match, compounding the team’s exit.