‘World Cup’s most controversial VAR challenge’: Croatia says FIFA still not responding to audio request

FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the opening ceremony of the International Broadcast Center on Monday, June 1, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Croatia’s controversial exit from the World Cup continues to cast a long shadow after the Croatian FA claimed it had yet to receive a response from FIFA to an official request to release the VAR communications behind the tournament’s most controversial decision. More than a week after Croatia’s round of 32 defeat to Portugal, technical director Stipe Pletikosa said federation president Marijan Kustić had formally requested access to VAR audio related to Joško Guardiola’s disallowed extra-time equalizer but insisted the governing body remained silent. The latest development adds another chapter to the growing scrutiny of refereeing standards and the implementation of VAR technology at the 2026 World Cup.

Croatia says FIFA remained silent after the formal request

Croatia’s FIFA World Cup came to a dramatic end against Portugal after Gonçalo Ramos scored a stoppage-time winner to give the Portuguese a 2-1 lead in the 32nd round. Zlatko Dalić’s side believed they had forced extra-time when Joško Gvardiol headed home in the 103rd minute. Instead, the celebrations were cut short after a lengthy VAR review. The officials ruled that striker Igor Matanović took the slightest touch on the cross before reaching Mario Pašalić. As the touch changed the attacking phase, Pašalić was adjudged to be in an offside position, leading to Guardiola’s equalizer being disallowed. The decision relied on FIFA’s Connected Ball Technology, with sensors inside the Adidas Trionda match ball detecting what Matanović later described as “light contact with my hair”. Croatia accepted FIFA’s technical explanation but questioned both the use of technology and whether the correct VAR protocol was followed during the review. talk to RTLCroatian Football Federation technical director Stipe Pletikosa revealed that federation president Marijan Kustić formally contacted FIFA immediately after the match. “We took an official position, and the day after the incident in the match against Portugal, President Kustić sent FIFA a harsh letter with a request to look into VAR’s communications regarding that infamous chip. We have not received an answer to this day,” he added. said Pletikosa.

FIFA defended the decision, but Croatia want VAR talks

After the controversy, FIFA publicly defended the decision not to recognize Croatia’s goal. In an official statement, football’s governing body said Connected Ball Technology had conclusively detected contact from Matanović before the ball reached Pašalić. “According to data provided by the Connected Ball Technology located in the Adidas ball Trionda, the official match ball of the FIFA World Cup, Croatia’s Igor Matanović was shown to have touched in the build-up to a goal against Portugal, allowing the referee to correctly determine offside and disallow the goal,” FIFA explained. The organization added that Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors inside the match ball are able to identify even the tiniest of touches, with the data displayed to broadcasters via the now familiar ‘heart’ graphic used during the tournament. While FIFA has already explained the technology behind the decision, Croatia’s latest complaint centers on transparency, with the federation demanding access to conversations between on-field officials and the VAR team during the review.

Pletikosa questions how FIFA managed the tournament

Pletikosa stressed that referees will inevitably make mistakes, but argued that FIFA had failed to protect the game during this World Cup. “We have thrown away the feeling of inferiority when we play against big teams and I hope that we will no longer be in a situation where things other than ourselves decide our position.” he said. He then extended his criticism beyond the elimination of Croatia. “FIFA has stopped protecting football for the first time. It has had better times and darker times, but it has always protected the game. I am not talking about the referees, they will always make mistakes, it is a normal and integral part of the game.” “But the hydration break, the chips, the 18 minutes of half-time in the Croatia-England game… it has gone so far that the game is no longer protected. I’m surprised that the people who work there, who are supposed to recognize situations and protect the game, are not reacting at all.” Croatia is not the only country to publicly challenge the function during the tournament. Following their dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the last 16, the Egyptian Football Association lodged a formal complaint after questioning several VAR decisions, accusing the officials of “blatant errors” and calling for the removal of the referee and the entire referee. Responding to wider criticism, FIFA chief referee Pierluigi Collina defended the tournament’s officials, saying constructive discussion of decisions was part of football, while insisting allegations questioning the integrity of referees had no place in the sport. The controversy comes at a time of change for Croatian football. Following the country’s World Cup exit, Zlatko Dalić ended his tenure after leading Croatia to the 2018 World Cup finals and a third-place finish in 2022. Former manager Slaven Bilić has since returned to the second-in-command position, having previously managed the national team from 2006 to 2012.