Gary Neville Criticizes FIFA Over World Cup Offside Decision Transparency
ITV pundit Gary Neville has labeled FIFA a “dictatorship” following its refusal to release VAR replays for a semi-automated offside decision during a World Cup 2026 match between Switzerland and Qatar. A penalty was awarded to Switzerland after Remo Freuler was fouled, despite suggestions he might have been offside in the build-up. While VAR confirmed the penalty, the specific offside lines used to determine the decision were not shown to the public, prompting Neville's strong reaction regarding FIFA's transparency.
Gary Neville, an ITV pundit and former England international, criticized FIFA after the organization did not release VAR replays for a semi-automated offside call during the World Cup 2026 Group B match between Switzerland and Qatar.
During the first half, Switzerland was awarded a penalty when Remo Freuler was fouled by Qatari goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada. Replays indicated that Freuler might have been offside from Breel Embolo’s header before the foul. Although a VAR review upheld the original penalty decision, the specific replays, including the offside lines drawn by the semi-automated system, were not broadcast, leaving the public to accept the decision without visual evidence.
Speaking at half-time, Neville expressed his frustration, stating, “Offside. We all think it here. Everybody will think it at home. Fifa are the host broadcaster, they’ve got the evidence of the semi-automatic decision that they can show us. Why are they not showing us?” He added that fans already distrust FIFA and technology, and demanded proof for the decision.
After ITV's rules expert Christina Unkel confirmed that FIFA possesses the replays with the offside lines but chose not to show them, Neville intensified his criticism, saying, “It’s like a dictator. Honestly, it’s a dictatorship, this. The idea that they hold this evidence internally and don’t show fans of countries that are playing in tournaments. It’s absolutely ridiculous.” He questioned the lack of transparency, asking, “Prove to us it’s offside. Show it straight away. Why not the transparency?”
Other pundits, including Christina Unkel, Mark Pougatch, Duncan Ferguson, and Ian Wright, appeared to agree with Neville's bewilderment. Wright commented, “With the semi-automatic line, why haven’t we seen that?… They do what they want. They’re sitting in the office. It’s scandalous.”
Switzerland's Embolo converted the penalty, but despite dominating the match, they failed to score a second goal, partly due to saves from Abunada. Qatar secured an unlikely equalizer in injury time when captain Boualem Khoukhi headed in Homam El Amin’s 94th-minute cross, earning their squad, led by Julen Lopetegui, their first-ever point at a World Cup.
According to Yahoo Sports Soccer, Gary Neville was left fuming at FIFA’s decision not to release the replays.
