FIFA acted just days after a controversial VAR decision in the West Ham vs Arsenal game, making a change that will affect the World Cup.
Just days after a tricky VAR decision ruled out Callum Wilson’s equaliser for West Ham against Arsenal, FIFA is stepping in to stop players grabbing each other inside the penalty area during the World Cup this summer.
On Sunday, Arsenal extended their lead over Manchester City in the Premier League thanks to Leandro Trossard’s late goal at the London Stadium. But the game had its controversy when West Ham’s substitute Wilson thought he’d scored a crucial equaliser in stoppage time, only for VAR to rule it out because Pablo was seen fouling Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Raya.
Fans and experts are split on the call, with some pointing out that Arsenal players also seemed to foul during the scramble. However, Howard Webb, Chief Refereeing Officer at PGMOL, praised the officials for their careful decision, backing referee Chris Kavanagh’s call in Arsenal’s favour.
On Match Officials Mic’d Up, Webb said, “Is it a foul on the goalkeeper? Absolutely yes. We’ve made it clear all season that if an opponent holds or grabs a goalkeeper’s arms and stops them from doing their job, it’s a foul. We’re not just talking about any contact, but when the keeper’s arms or hands are stopped, that’s a penalty. Raya couldn’t catch or punch the ball as he normally would, so the officials made the right call. It’s a clear and obvious foul that must be punished.”
The Times later reported that FIFA is looking at ways to give referees more authority to control penalty-area grabbing in the World Cup. Coaches have been told there will be a tough stance on this, and referee chiefs are considering punishing teams for wrestling opponents before corners and free kicks—even thinking about making teams lose the corner if they commit such fouls.
At the same time, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) will review these issues in the long term, but changes probably won’t happen before the tournament. Still, FIFA is eager to fix this problem, which has often popped up in Premier League games this season.
Pascal Zuberbühler, head of FIFA’s World Cup technical study group and former Switzerland goalkeeper, said, “We’ve seen this especially in the Premier League with Arsenal. It’s a trend, yes, but we know the World Cup will have the best referees who will handle these situations well. It’s tough for referees because little fouls on the goalkeeper happen with many players around, making it hard to spot. But I’m confident the best referees will manage this properly. We just need to be alert from the start.”