VAR diving call branded 'wrong but feels right' as World Cup rule confusion grows

Dutch referee Danny Makkelie stopped the second half of United States v Paraguay to consult the pitchside monitor. It turned out Spanish video assistant referee Carlos del Cerro Grande had sent him there to review his decision to book USA skipper Tim Ream for fouling Paraguay forward Miguel Almiron. Almiron had not been touched. Makkelie reversed the caution and booked Almiron for diving instead. "Good spot and the right decision I may add. That's the main thing," said BBC commentator Danny Murphy. "Any adaptation of the rules that means diving gets punished is good." Except it might not have been the right decision. Mistaken identity, the tweaked rule used here, can only be applied when the referee "has clearly penalised the wrong player" according to the International Football Association Board. "The offence itself cannot be reviewed." Well-placed sources told BBC Sport Makkelie's decision was wrong, even if it felt right. World governing body Fifa is yet to clarify. Former England defender Phil Jagielka nevertheless welcomed the dive punishment: "I'm a defender, so I don't mind. Stuff like this, it's got to help. Tim Ream gets booked - he could end up getting sent off, and he's physically not touched someone." The confusion comes as the 2026 World Cup, after eleven successive days with four matches and then three with six, has got off to a decent start on the pitch despite ticket and entry issues. Rule changes have left players, coaches, supporters and TV viewers bewildered. Meanwhile, a separate piece on deafness highlights how clarity, not volume, is the problem for many in noisy environments—a different kind of misperception.