FIFA Rules on Almirón's Yellow Card Incident

FIFA, the global football governing body, has backed the decision to issue a yellow card to Paraguayan international Miguel Almirón under the updated rules for mistaken identity, following his team's 4-1 loss to the USA.

Referee Danny Makkelie initially booked American defender Tim Ream for a foul on Almirón. However, the VAR system reviewed and overturned this decision after replays clearly showed the Paraguayan had simulated the foul. Makkelie halted play for the review, and FIFA reportedly believes the only aspect that should have been handled differently was the restart of play – a dropped ball instead of a free-kick for the USA.

Had the head referee not initially shown Ream a yellow card, the incident would not have been eligible for VAR review. Under the changes implemented by FIFA for the World Cup, the video system can intervene in cases of mistaken identity when “a player is wrongly cautioned or sent off when the foul was committed by another player from either team; the foul itself cannot be reviewed, except in the context of mistaken identity.”

Referees will be navigating several rule changes at these finals, including countdowns for throw-ins and goal kicks, VAR checks on corners, time limits for substitutions, and video system interventions for clearly incorrect second yellow cards.