European football aligns on refereeing matters ahead of 2026/27 season

The agenda of the meeting, which was also attended by a representative of IFAB, principally centred on changes recently introduced to the Laws of the Game with the aim of promoting greater consistency in the interpretation and application of the Laws across domestic and continental competitions.

"The fact that all 55 national associations and UEFA have agreed on guidelines towards a more consistent approach to the application of the Laws of the Game marks a significant milestone," said meeting chair Roberto Rosetti, UEFA director for refereeing.

"It will help improve the understanding of refereeing decisions among players, clubs, supporters and all stakeholders in the game. For the popularity of football it is essential to remove all doubt from the game and ensure that the laws are applied with clarity."

Consensus on key topics

There was unanimous support for IFAB amendments for the 2026/27 season, designed to speed up restarts, protecting the game’s integrity and reducing unnecessary delays while preserving the excitement and quality of matches. This package of measures effectively addresses situations where time is wasted (goal kicks, throw-ins, substitutions, injuries), so guaranteeing longer time with the ball in play. Referees will be instructed to strictly and consistently enforce the new rules.

VAR protocol

Participants also aligned on the need for a more consistent approach to the involvement of Video Assistant Referees (VAR). Following the recent IFAB amendments to the VAR protocol, instructions were shared about the correct interpretation of "mistaken identity" situations, exactly in line with the welcome explanations offered by IFAB with their circular letter no. 34. More generally, it was reiterated that, in accordance with the protocol, VAR must only intervene in situations of "clear and obvious" error, i.e. when a referee decision is blatantly incorrect or when the referee has missed a clear incident. VAR is not meant to re-referee the game, it is an essential support to the referees, who must remain at the centre of all decision-making. Lengthy, microscoping reviews are often a symptom revealing that the decision on the field was not clearly and obviously incorrect, and should therefore be limited.

Finally, participants underlined the importance of strengthening the cooperation protocol between team captains and referees to continue fostering greater respect for match officials. The decision will build on the approach successfully rolled out at UEFA EURO 2024.

Further steps and initiatives aimed at providing clear guidance and supporting the consistent application of the Laws of the Game and the use of VAR across European football will be communicated in the coming weeks.