IFAB admits: Mbola’s red card against Argentina was wrong

Switzerland forward Brill Mbola should not have been sent off in this month’s World Cup quarter-final against Argentina, according to a circular from the International Football Association Board (IFAB), football’s rule-making body.

Mbola received a second yellow card in the second half of the match in Kansas City, with the score tied at 1-1. Argentina then scored two goals in extra time to secure a 3-1 victory over 10-man Switzerland.

The incident report said that the 29-year-old Mbola was involved in a challenge with Leandro Paredes. On-field referee Joao Pinheiro initially showed the Argentine midfielder a yellow card. However, VAR told the referee that Paredes had not committed a foul. Pinheiro then mistakenly showed Mbola a yellow card for simulating a foul.

The IFAV has made it clear that while VAR can intervene to correct mistaken identity in cases where the wrong player is given a card, VAR cannot be used to review the offence itself.

The body said in a statement, “A yellow card, which is not a second yellow card, can only be reviewed to identify the player who committed the punishable offence; the offence itself cannot be reviewed or changed.”
The statement added, “The use of the false identification clause in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for simulation is commended and will be included in the detailed review of the VAR protocol… but it cannot be used in this way until that review is complete.”
The false identification rule was first used in the United States’ group stage win over Paraguay. In that match, referee Danny McKelly initially showed American defender Tim Ream a yellow card for a foul on Paraguayan forward Miguel Almiron. However, VAR referee Carlos del Cerro recommended a review based on “false identification.” Tim Ream did not touch Almiron. Referee McKelly later reversed his decision and instead showed the Paraguayan player a yellow card for simulation.

Switzerland coach Murat Yakin called the rule behind Brill Mbola’s red card “unacceptable” after their hopes of reaching the World Cup semi-finals were dashed.

After the match, Murat Yakin said, “This ruined our match today. We have to accept it, but it’s very painful to lose like this.”