How VAR works in MLS and the World Cup

For the first time in World Cup history, referees will have a resource that was previously available to everyone watching except the officials - a second look.
Major League Soccer and PRO are sending 5 officials to Russia; two head referees: Mark Geiger and Jair Marrufo, and three assistant referees: Frank Anderson, Joe Fletcher, and Corey Rockwell. Not only is it a significant personal achievement for those individuals who have worked so hard to reach the pinnacle of referring, but that number is also more than any other league sending officials to the quadrennial tournament.
Video Review has been in practice for over a year in MLS, however this is the first World Cup tournament that will have the technology in place.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at how the system works and hear from the officials themselves on what they think of its introduction in their domestic league and the biggest soccer tournament on the planet.
Subscribe to our channel for more soccer content: kzbin.info_c...
- Follow us on Twitter: / mls
- Like us on Facebook: / mls
- Follow us on Instagram: / mls
For more information about MLS, go to the league's official website: www.MLSsoccer.com

[@parodoxfn4564]

I was laughing hard when Ibrahimovic slapped the guy and then he pretended that he stepped him!! LMAO 😂

[@johnglue1744]

I will say watching the World Cup was so refreshing seeing referees make calls on the field immediately and correctly without help from the booth. What I mean is competent refs so far without the interference of the VAR.

[@LibertyOrBust]

Give it time. You forget the first match of the 2014 World Cup. Haha.

[@himadima6708]

Please Everyone must see the match 25 June 2018. Spain. Vs Morocco . He was what we call (referee) The 12 man of Spanish team soccer. He didn't used the VAR for Morocco when a spanish man used his hand and refuses penalty but see all the match and judge him. Huge Arbitral errors. Re'match Spain VS Morocco for justice

[@flowless4428]

John Glue this man should leave this field he was an asshol in this world cup🖓🖓

[@jakethesnake2x]

John Glue are kinding? This World Cup has been full of bullshit calls and many long minutes of confusing and stoppages due to Var. Also the Var referees are so inconsistent and bad at what they call, they most surely be the shittest referees in the world.

[@skinnyCris]

@@himadima6708 HAHAHAHAHAJA

[@serjordan13]

Martinez’s goal was called back in the Atlanta game from the first clip but Diego Costa’s goal was allowed to stand? MLS ref’s need to calm down. Martinez’s goal should have been allowed to stand. Also Mark Geiger sucks “I’m only going to interject myself when I see a clear and obvious mistake” ... yeah right “A great game for a referee is when the two teams go out there and they don’t remember who the referee is. If they remember, it’s because something bad happen.” Atlanta fans will never forget Mark Geiger

[@timfredrickson3889]

And the MLS will never forget the little bitches of the atl fan base.

[@Philsta007]

The referee in the World Cup final spent 5 minutes reviewing the handball decision and made completely the wrong decision.

[@callmekai97]

True

[@lntg]

It was def a handball. I am a referee myself. It was an unnatural arm position and besides, his arm moved in the direction of the ball, not out of the way. Enough time for him to react. I hate France so I ain't biased.

[@Philsta007]

@@lntg No handball. The fact that the referee had to watch it so many times and took so long to make the decision also shows that it was not a 'clear and obvious' error so VAR shouldn't have even been used in the first place. Players basically have to cut off their arms to avoid being called for a handball these days because basically any contact with the arm (even if the ball if kicked straight into the arm from a metre away) seems to be called a handball by referees at the top level even though the LOTG clearly state 'intentionally handles the ball.'

[@jingzhouhua1697]

@@Philsta007 I know right?

[@ba-wp5zs]

@@Philsta007 Well now they don't do that, even any touch results in a handball. At the end of the day, people have differing views on intentions of players and things, so the theory is to remove that aspect.

[@matthewdavis7869]

Quality video right here. Glad they used the Red Bull vs Atlanta game as an example too. They could’ve easily gone with a game that was nice and simple involving VAR but they chose one involving a lot of controversy instead. They did a great job in that game, and anyone who wants to argue with that can continue to ignore what is on the screen in front of them. I still think they miss things even with VAR, but it’s getting better slowly but surely.

[@willzuh5440]

There was no foul on that play lmao. Josef didn't touch him.

[@applepiefc317]

There was contact. It is obvious if you have eyes.

[@willzuh5440]

No there was not. If there was, Tim Parker's leg would have moved due to the contact and it does not. He trips over his own feet while running back.

[@applepiefc317]

it did....

[@willzuh5440]

No it doesn't. It keeps moving forward and he trips on his own foot. Not to mention even if there was contact (which there is not), it would be incidental and therefore not a foul.

[@criscabrera1457]

Mark Geiger, robbed Panama and still went to the World Cup, where he robbed Morocco

[@brandonmoncada7610]

and Colombia.

[@josedcarrillo24]

@@brandonmoncada7610 yes yes yes he was discraceful🤬

[@soccerstudsuper]

"As long as we don't make big mistakes we'll be fine" Proceeds to completely miss a slap in the face in KC vs Crew game while having 5 minutes to call for a review.

[@amirfanous2117]

GlassSword lol

[@levirohring3314]

Every time I am watching a MLS match I see referees giving penalty’s away so quickly. Like when there was clearly no foul. It almost seems like they want it to be more entertaining.

[@MegaMalik90]

Levi Rohring I agree with You. Totally, looks like the MLS commissioners have asked them to.

[@enlightenyourself8555]

Capatilsm ruins everything

[@xObserver]

This referee robbed our team morocco for not doing his job fairly i understand he's human he can mistakes but why refusing using VAR why ? that's injustice , one goal come from foul , pipe pushed our player before scoring and 4 penalties and 2 Ronaldo yellow cards for diving and 2 yellow cards for pepe for assaulting Benatia he hit him by elbow in the box and for diving .

[@krank3869]

who's pipe

[@saado8283]

Krank Pepe I think

[@marque8242]

that message is unreadable. I spent 10 minutes figuring out what are you trying to say.

[@glavaglavatovic4902]

Yeah man, just like Serbia-Switzerland, that robber Felix Brich did not even watch the replay, and not give clear penalty for Serbia. Because of that Serbia lost the game and the chance to gain the 1/8 finals

[@TickleMeElmo55]

Good for the MLS and replay. Leading the way and revolutionizing the game. Times are changing people. ; )

[@trekwild4193]

LandInbetween it’s only good if it’s used correctly and, so far, it’s being used incorrectly in he MLS. “Clear and obvious” is pretty specific. VAR is not supposed to bail out the refs.

[@Elpuma1374]

I'm for it. If the last UEFA championship game between RM and Liverpool have had VAR, Ramos would've been expelled from that game because of the injury he caused to Salah, for example.

[@theoambarita148]

I think its never a red. Just becuz someone is injured doesnt mean its always a red card

[@0xl4j394]

@@theoambarita148 True. Injury doesn't mean a red card, but, in that particular instance it was clearly an intentional foul that lead to an injury. IMO it was a red card.

[@jacobtemple7251]

It’s so upsetting seeing a bad call ruin a game, but at the same time I feel like it’s part of soccer, the in moment calls. What makes the game great.

[@101theobserver]

Mark robbed Morocco in world cup

[@anthonyceballos7644]

Lary observer and Colombia

[@eitanperelis9979]

Anthony Ceballos and Panama

[@declanccsmith]

How

[@indigoyeti09]

he also robbed colombia

[@derrickbush1146]

This is embarrassing, "my job is to sit back and let the referee do their job and assist them when they need my assistance", the very first highlight he nit picks a goal and give a foul that one but him saw. How does Mark Geiger still have a job?

[@flowless4428]

Derrick Bush yeah he still a refree and also because of him marocco was losing match he didnt use var for 3 penalties clearly 100% realy shame for fifa and for this stupid refree

[@brianlee4016]

The ref on the field also makes the choice. The ref on the field can overturn a VAR decision.

[@OriginalPuro]

What a stupid statement.

[@cre.8s364]

Derrick, the call he made in the ATL game to take away the goal was clearly the correct call. He was absolutely right.

[@kenconnelly773]

Probably because he was the first one that saw the foul. Even the announcers conceded that Atlanta wasn’t robbed.

[@LucasFlix18]

Mark Geiger is the worst choice you have ever made

[@horatiohuskisson5471]

Johan Bermudez he help Colombia by not sending any of their cheating scumbag players off

[@jellybeast0180]

He should of got fired when he robbed the game of Colombia vs England

[@achrafd.blackburn1880]

@@jellybeast0180 yeah and with morocco.

[@drewtobin8367]

@@jellybeast0180 You clearly aren't a ref and it shows

[@nnamdiejiofor3985]

I have been impressed with the referring at this world cup. With and without the VAR, they've been very impressive. I like how they tell the players to get on with it instead of going down easily and asking for a free kick. It's a contact sports, a physical game and the dignity of the beautiful game is returning. Great job FIFA...

[@chaserockwell2312]

my dad is corey rockwell and joe flecther is from canada but he does mls my dad is the oldest american in the world cup and the 2nd fastest referee in the usa

[@SiddharthJaggavarapu]

Even the commentators knew that was a goal. Pity Mark Geiger is such a trash ref, and he is the best that MLS could send to the WC.

[@oliverlinehan8701]

The refs were right. Meola even corrects himself. Geiger is trash but that call was right. Martinez clips Parker. That's a foul anywhere else on the field. Atlanta fans are so whiny, the refs favor you almost every game.

[@jimmyog]

No contact = no foul so imo it wasn’t a foul

[@oliverlinehan8701]

But there was contact. If there was no contact you would be right but you can see Martinez clip Parker's heels. It's slight contact but tripping=foul and at high speeds on the turn it's easily enough to bring someone down.

[@SiddharthJaggavarapu]

Oliver Linehan football is not a non contact sport. Having said that, he clipped him accidentally trying to change the direction of his run. The only situation in which that was a clear and an obvious foul is if Parker had a clear chance at the ball. That was not the case. Also, this video misses a few seconds before this incident, where Parker stamps on josef's toe. If this contact was a foul, that was a clear penalty. The commentators, even after the replays, thought that goal should have been allowed. All everyone is asking of MLS refs is consistency. The on field ref was right behind them all the time and had a clear view. The VAR should not even be involved on this call, since it wasn't clear and obvious.

[@applepiefc317]

There was contact

[@Cato_the_Christian]

The first example is clearly not an obvious error, how in the world does the MLS media team think showing it is a good idea to win support for VAR.

[@LibertyOrBust]

Do you not clearly see the trip? It's an obvious error.

[@isaacangamble]

LibertyOrBust it wasn’t a trip

[@isaacangamble]

LibertyOrBust I was at the game next to the Red Bull’s support group even they thought it was a goal

[@LibertyOrBust]

Who cares where you were sitting? You see the video now. There is nothing to dispute.

[@kensworth39]

Just because you don't think it is clear and obvious. Clearly, the highly trained referee's thought it was clear and obvious. Who cares if some idiot fans, even if its against their own team, think the call is wrong. I bet they haven't even looked at IFAB or even know what that is.

[@Kauppamopo]

Mark Geiger in Colombia vs England yesterday, he had zero control

[@seamus1956]

Elmo Actually, he did a remarkable job of regaining control after it started spiraling. It got extremely chippy in the second half, and Geiger was forced to call it tight. From the 54th to the 69th minutes, he issued 6 yellow cards because of the chippiness and reckliessness of the play. However, after carding England's Lingard in the 69th things calmed way down and he didn't pull another card until two minutes were left in the second overtime session. The fact that 8 yellow cards were issued on only 36 total fouls called for the match says that both teams were determined to test the limits. Geiger did exactly what he had to do to regain control and got the job done.

[@bhdz1808]

Who else wanted to slap their phone screen 😒🤦‍♂️.

[@unstablespinach]

Bryan Juarez I smashed my phone and my iPad

[@DannyOvox3]

Why?

[@OriginalPuro]

Maybe if you're below the age of 15.

[@256Face]

Why TF wud u do that.

[@astros7117]

@@OriginalPuro or LOWER

[@Ai14106]

Mark Geiger is the Joey Crawford of MLS

[@isaacangamble]

All those fouls against ATL weren’t fouls

[@applepiefc317]

“All those fouls”

[@glavaglavatovic4902]

Marks voice is just like Raymonds :D

[@Curtis_11]

Still waiting on the review show.

[@jakethesnake2x]

Seriously this World Cup has been plagued with bad calls, inconsistent refereeing, and just poor game management. The refs in MLS most really suck hard.

[@labouvdu3077]

Ces super interessant

[@JamesPope703]

Yet England didn't get 2 penaltys when Harry Kane got tackled to the ground

[@tobymcelhinney5354]

james pope VAR is bulshit that's why.

[@t_hanos21]

Toby McElhinney I agree with the way it is now. Don’t watch it in slow mo unless needed, watch it in real time.

[@myopinion4136]

Funny how I'm trying to watch this for the 3rd time, the add loads with out a problem but the video freezes 10 seconds into it

[@reakeyboards1636]

Mark Geiger :) In my school he is a meme

[@avsterbone]

Goal stands in my book

[@kensworth39]

VAR presents an interesting opportunity to see what refs would call if they had the same looks that people at home got. They are finally able to get back at the armchair referee's and pull up a seat of their own; and much to the dismay of most people, they are realizing that maybe referees are intentionally calling soccer in a way that they could only previously explained away as "blind referee". Without that excuse anymore, they are forced to realize that either their understanding of the game was off all this time, or still think that they know more than world class officials. LOL

[@constantsmile3370]

The refs are the absolute worst part of MLS.

[@KillJoy_Since2017]

Interesting

[@NorcdaChilda]

really interesting to see some BTS :)

[@kangjunghyun]

Mark Geiger is Bad Referee!

[@cainward9219]

Btw Martinez's goal should have counted

[@scottjones3584]

Why

[@JoshRendle]

Unbelievable that Mark Geiger still is in a job! The Gold Cup he reffed in 2015 was atrocious. The calls he made that led Mexico to the Final were shocking. They were so bad I was certain and most of Concacaf as well that he would be suspended from reffing. And now he is representing MLS at the World Cup, speechless.

[@francodefrance5279]

No wonder the refs are bad this tournament LMAO

[@bobdillion440]

Haha 5.11 did that guy watch that first goal disallowed?

[@abstractaxe]

Nice for MLS to be ahead of the game with VAR. the bad calls are enough of a reason for me to stop supporting this sport.

[@KKPsiNumba5]

What sport do you watch that doesn't have bad calls? I can't think of a single sport played anywhere on the planet that doesn't have horrible calls. Heck, they even have video review in sumo wrestling in Japan.

[@abstractaxe]

J L yes but bad calls that go unchallenged is a problem. Seeing a reff getting taken advantage of and ruining a game is frustrating. Soccer was the only one not implementing some kind of way to make sure a stupid call is avoided.

[@KKPsiNumba5]

I agree with that. I'm glad to see some type of video review in football as well.

[@davyt0247]

J L Baseball has it too

[@ytanonymity3585]

​​@@KKPsiNumba5 Field Hockey. Even their officiation are more competent than Football officiating

[@Philaunite9]

and yet in 2022 you still miss clear and obvious errors on VAR

[@jasongonzalez5218]

Why have VAR if you are not going to use it correctly

[@haunt4830]

Actually, the VAR has been in italy for 2 years

[@Fazzelgaming]

in 10 years AI will be the referee

[@afewgamers4255]

VAR has ended the “hand of God”

[@karlhanso]

best sellers "how to rob a soccer match" by mark geiger

[@SCARPENTER290]

Soccer?? And you're letting them referee.

[@yeetersonpeterson2765]

First one was a goal u don’t need to be a ref to know that that was no foul

[@iconicfijiyt2682]

he dint even touch him

[@mehdichainane3322]

The irony is Mark Greiger and Joe Fletcher committed a comedy of mistakes during the world cup in Russia especially in the group stage game Portugal vs Morocco.

[@LuMpeN1231yy]

Im so disappointed for Mark.

[@gx2entertainment420]

This is just an Ad for Atlanta United

[@murk4heart]

These refs making these interpretations is going to kill this game

[@squadhorizon3261]

Notice how 90% of these videos involve Atlanta United 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@dustinjoeypace]

Squad Horizon pretty sure we had the highest number of reviews in the Benz last year. That could be why.

[@kingmarble3400]

At least it’s better then bloody VAR in the premier league

[@AngelFlores-ep8vu]

This World Cup is going to suck because of the amount of mls refs never mind just mark

[@rylandspencer]

Dude fakes being stepped on, then slaps another guy, who goes down "hurt" before the trainer squirts water on it for some reason, while the slapper is helped off the field and down the tunnel with a fake foot injury.

[@lilpotatomateo5563]

Of course they show var from the red bulls vs atlanta game where VAR was wrong

[@rylo881]

VAR needs to go to hell. If they miss a call, they miss a call. People need to learn how to get over it.

[@brentchowning1385]

WOW

[@antoniobanderes5926]

The var in this had an absolute mare last night hope he never refs again

[@caleblewis2266]

Howard Webb had one of the worst World Cup final referee performances of all time 😂

[@heywhatthefcuk]

which is why it is a shame at this World Cup

[@zacatak619]

well it didn't catch Griezman flopping in the World Cup final

[@zacatak619]

led to an own goal off the free kick, "France" if you could even call them that, deserved to loose that game but played a better tournament.

[@we3menfail]

Mark Geiger is just the worst referee… pls show all the calls he got wrong pls

[@RBzee112]

We3MenFail EVERYONE makes mistakes

[@we3menfail]

RB Zee Mate, look up Mark Geiger world cup. One game in... Asking for jerseys…

[@seamus1956]

We3MenFail Nobody was able to confirm that story and I personally don't believe it (neither did FIFA).

[@codym.4501]

I'm onside, ball is played, flag up, clear goal scoring opportunity. what happens then with car. bad calls are made. in every game 9 times out of 10 the better team wins. all the game needs is goal line and better refs. var and tech will kill the game.

[@RBzee112]

william blake Literally every sport uses some sort of review technology. What makes this sport so special that it will be ruined?

[@hichammoumen212]

Waw it s amazing 🎃🎃🎃 Where Was they in Portugal vs morroco game ? We are really whaiting for a anser sham on you Mark giger

[@GlitterFart20]

I swear the MLS refs got the most backlash for being bad

[@bobdillion440]

You made a bad choose on the yellow for a foot to the chest because you simply didn’t check the guys chest the marks would have said it all

[@Froakii]

LOL the first one was not even close to a foul!

[@Hilljmj533]

I don’t know I might be dumb but can someone explain what does mistaken identity mean?

[@aledref]

Mr. Hilljmj so mistaken identity means the wrong player gets red carded

[@hp15degreez73]

Mr. Hilljmj If someone gets a card and it was really someone else who committed the foul.

[@tndrunning3328]

Mr. Hilljmj Everyone’s wearing the same clothes, it’s easy to punish the wrong player by mistake

[@danielnochel9842]

Well that first game was a clear disgrace for soccer... that defender just clearly dived, cause that striker went passed him in a good old fashioned way... there was no contact at all, that could have caused him to fall...

[@jesuscarrillo3874]

Now if you translate it to spanish, would be awsome

[@kalinjenkins4473]

It doesn't. /thread

[@MachoTM]

It seems alot more professional after this video

[@joescarborough1045]

How it works in the MLS? It doesn't

[@jeanpierredesir9033]

Sometimes the VAR is not Fair and not Right in the game Man

[@OscarM452]

VAR still didn’t do anything in the England game

[@AussieRoberts]

Yeah nah, the American refs have been terribly bad at the world cup

[@DannyOvox3]

I like it.

[@abiturspanisch6316]

Mark Geiger has been accused shamefully favoring England and New Zealand during World Cup. Geiger oversaw a bitterly contested match and doled out eight yellow cards, while also calling 36 fouls as England broke its long-standing penalty shootout curse to move into the quarterfinals. This referee disturbed every single match a lot., he always made the calls in favor of England and New Zealand. He didn’t act with the same criteria for both teams in every match he took part. After officiating a group-stage game, he was accused of asking for the jersey of Cristiano Ronaldo. and it is not the first time Mark Geiger has been involved in controversy during a tournament...

[@markobre1386]

VAR doesnt exist for serbia though... (serbia-switzerland russia 2018)

[@charliemason7227]

Explains why the var was so bad then doesn't it

[@bradleyjohn4116]

Why do they only use var in mls

[@levani8369]

3:05 wtf there is georgia flag

[@elmorati8482]

This referee did some big mistakes in the game between Morocco and Portugal..I don’t know if he did it on purpose but that was some really big shitty calls he made in that game

[@aidan4324]

8:07 he is a bit more that right about this LOL XD just watch the highlights of ny red bulls vs lafc. THE PELNELTY DESITION WAS TERRIBLE! I WONDER HOW THE HELL THE VAR OFFICALS SAID"CHECK COMPLETE"

[@jacobgrudziak6285]

Trevor kettle da da da da

[@screwdriver5813]

How to kill emotions

[@sighrex]

var is war

[@brandonmoncada7610]

I can't believe this guy is teaching people how to referee. FIFA has had to publicly apologize for his horrible officiating mistakes, and the man has been chased off the damn field he's so bad. Why is he still around, this is definitely not his skill set.

[@bigbellymurray]

Completely ruins the game, slows it down, gives me less to talk about if a decision is made and if the on field officials don’t see it then it shouldn’t be a foul/ goal etc.

[@barclaytv317]

This kills football

[@jordanaparicio2137]

Martinez barely touched him . The goal should have stranded

[@redvoid3339]

But yet Messi still gets a red card

[@unrulydanny1932]

I dont trust any referee that says "soccer"

[@lonewolfsowoofwoof7214]

Unruly Danny you can say football and soccer 😑 Edit: to be honest I don’t know where Americans got the word SoCcEr🤔

[@ThisIsReMarkable]

@@lonewolfsowoofwoof7214 It's old English coloquial term for "AsSOCiation Football". SOC became soccer.

[@joseraulcali]

Mark Geiger worst ref ever

[@kyoshiroma]

increbile!!! the first example it is NOT a foul! Yes there is contact but not a foul!!! SO this winnies "thinks" that any contact is a foul?!!!

[@alexmuller853]

Wow even the refs in the MLS are absolute trash...