Uncovered new VAR scandal at the SP: Here's how the Argentinians were pushed

New rules set to take effect in Croatian football league ahead of upcoming season The Croatian Football League (HNL) will implement a series of new regulations starting with the 2026/27 season, aimed at reducing time-wasting, increasing game tempo and expanding the authority of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology. These changes were announced following a three-day technical and fitness seminar held at the Garden Hill Hotel in Varaždin, attended by referees, assistant referees, VAR officials and other stakeholders in the Croatian top-tier football league ahead of the new season. The seminar was opened by Bertrand Layec, president of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS), who outlined all the guidelines and rule changes that will come into force from the next week. The changes, introduced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), focus on addressing issues such as time-wasting during matches and enhancing the efficiency of decision-making through improved VAR capabilities. The updated rules will apply to all competitions organized by the HNS from this season onwards. Among the key modifications include stricter controls during player substitutions to prevent delays, especially in the final stages of matches. Under the new protocol, players leaving the field must cross the touchline within 10 seconds after the referee signals a substitution, otherwise their team will have to continue playing with one fewer player for a minute before the replacement can enter the field. Additionally, there are new time constraints for restarts. For instance, a player must complete a throw-in within five seconds of the ball being ready for play, while a goalkeeper must reintroduce the ball into play within five seconds after receiving it from the goal area. Failure to adhere to these time limits results in the opposing team gaining possession of the ball. The expanded powers of VAR technology now allow intervention in situations such as whether a goal should be awarded, whether a penalty should be given or not, and whether a direct red card was correctly issued. This includes cases where a clear mistake has been made in the initial decision. During the seminar, Domagoj Vučkov and Tomislav Šetka delivered expert presentations on familiarizing referees with the new Hawk-Eye system, which is designed to assist in making more accurate decisions. All participants successfully passed the required physical condition checks. At the end of the seminar, the first Croatian referee and other officials met representatives of nearly all clubs in the SuperSport Croatian First League. During this meeting, the latest rule changes were presented, and a detailed analysis of several video clips was conducted to discuss how they would be applied in competition settings. Simultaneously, the 43rd referee controller seminar was also held ahead of the start of the new competitive season. This seminar focused on ensuring consistency and clarity in the application of the new rules across all levels of the sport. The emphasis was placed on achieving greater uniformity in decision-making and maintaining open communication with all parties involved in football, including fans.