Sending off the Switzerland striker against Argentina in the World Cup was a wrong decision

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), football’s international body, has clarified its guidelines for referees, confirming that Switzerland striker Briel Embolo should not have been sent off during the World Cup quarter-final match against Argentina.
Embolo’s second yellow card, following a review by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) due to an allegation of a foul, contributed to the Argentine national team’s 3-1 victory after extra time.
The expulsion decision sparked a wave of criticism, including objections from the Egyptian national team, its former rival, who saw that the referees were being complimentary of Lionel Messi’s team in their decisions.
IFAB published a clarification yesterday, Monday, in which it confirmed that the video technology protocol for “mistaken identity” cases does not apply to such an incident at the World Cup, however it can be applied in future tournaments.
“But this procedure may not be used in this way until the protocol review is complete,” IFAB said in a statement.
Embolo fell on the field following an intervention by Argentine midfielder Leandro Paredes, who was shown a yellow card by the referee.
The VAR referees informed the referee that Paredes had not committed a violation, so the yellow card was directed to Embolo instead, his second card in the match, and he was sent off.
But this is not how the “mistaken identity” clause is supposed to be applied, as its use is limited to correcting the referee’s decision when he shows a card in the face of a player other than the player who committed the original violation.
Switzerland coach Murat Yakin said after the match that was held in Kansas City: “The referee made the wrong decision. I know they will defend their ruling, but this interpretation of the law destroyed our match today. It is very painful, and to go out in this way hurts a lot.”
IFAB explained that the card “can only be reviewed to determine the identity of the player who committed the violation for which he was punished, but the violation itself cannot be reviewed or changed.”
He pointed out that the review of the video technology protocol has been ongoing since last March, acknowledging that incidents such as the Embolo incident fall within the scope of this review.
“The use of the mistaken identity clause to deal with cases of alleged wrongdoing during the 2026 World Cup has been well received,” Zurich-based Ifab said.
The IFAB includes officials appointed by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), along with representatives of the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The authority holds its annual meeting in February or March to update the laws of the game, which come into effect in major tournaments or at the start of the next season.