FIFA Says No Offside on Switzerland’s Penalty Against Qatar After Graphics Glitch

Qatar shocked Switzerland with a dramatic 1-1 draw, equalizing through an own goal by Miro Muheim in the 90th minute plus four. But the match also left lingering questions about the penalty awarded to Switzerland in the 14th minute, which led to Breel Embolo scoring the opener.

On TV, replays made it appear that Remo Freuler may have been offside in the buildup, and because no VAR offside graphic was shown, fans were left without the usual visual explanation for the review. That omission fueled widespread speculation online after the final whistle.

Hours later, FIFA issued an official clarification. It said a technical malfunction prevented the offside animation from being generated and displayed to viewers, but stressed that the problem was limited to the graphics system and did not affect the VAR process itself.

FIFA said the review was completed in full, according to normal procedures, and that the lines used by the VAR team did not show an offside offense in either of the two situations examined before the penalty was given. In FIFA’s account, there was therefore no basis to overturn the on-field decision.