The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the first World Cup to use the Video Assistant Referee system.
FIFA approved VAR for the tournament after the International Football Association Board added video assistant referees to football’s Laws of the Game in March 2018. Every match in Russia used the system, with video operations coordinated from a central headquarters in Moscow while VAR officials communicated with the on-field referee.
VAR could review potential errors involving goals, penalties, straight red cards and mistaken identity. The technology immediately became part of World Cup history: Diego Costa’s opening goal for Spain against Portugal became the first World Cup goal awarded after a VAR review. France’s match against Australia produced the tournament’s first penalty awarded following a VAR decision.
The answer is sometimes confused with earlier trials. VAR had already been tested in domestic leagues and other competitions before 2018, but Russia was the first FIFA World Cup tournament to deploy it throughout the competition. Its introduction was praised for correcting major errors but also criticized for interrupting celebrations and creating uncertainty over decisions.