VAR Makes World Cup History with 1st Mistaken Identity Intervention

The 2026 FIFA World Cup witnessed a historic first during the United States' 4-1 victory over Paraguay, as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system was used for the first time in tournament history to correct a case of mistaken identity.

The incident occurred in the second half when Dutch referee Danny Makkelie initially showed a yellow card to United States captain Tim Ream for what appeared to be a foul on Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almirón.

𝑽𝑨𝑹 𝑱𝑼𝑺𝑻 𝑴𝑨𝑫𝑬 𝑯𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑹𝒀 🤯📺⚽

A historic moment unfolded during USA vs Paraguay as VAR applied the “Mistaken Identity” rule for the first time 👀

The referee initially booked Tim Ream, but after a review, the yellow card was removed and given to Miguel Almirón… pic.twitter.com/Wap5C0haKX

— Fanxietyfc (@fanxietyfc) June 13, 2026

Shortly after play resumed, the VAR team alerted the referee to a potential error. Makkelie reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor and concluded that Ream had not committed a foul. The yellow card issued to the American defender was subsequently rescinded.

After reviewing the footage, the referee instead booked Almirón for simulation, determining that the Paraguay midfielder had attempted to deceive the match officials.

The decision marked the first use of VAR's mistaken identity protocol in FIFA World Cup history. 

The rule allows referees to correct situations in which the wrong player is penalized or identified during an incident involving misconduct or an infringement.

The moment represented another milestone in the evolution of VAR at the highest level of international football, highlighting FIFA's continued efforts to reduce clear and obvious officiating errors through the use of technology.

The historic intervention came during a memorable night for the host nation, as the United States opened its World Cup campaign with an emphatic 4-1 win over Paraguay under head coach Mauricio Pochettino.