Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has expressed frustration over the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology following the Black Stars’ goalless draw against England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The experienced Portuguese tactician questioned why a potential penalty incident involving Ghana was not reviewed in greater detail, insisting that modern technology should help eliminate such controversial decisions.
Speaking after the match, Queiroz responded to suggestions that his players should have protested more strongly when the incident occurred. He explained that players are often placed in a difficult position because excessive protests can result in disciplinary action from match officials.
“People say the players should have protested for the penalty, but if they do that, they risk getting a yellow card,” Queiroz said.
The Ghana coach stressed that VAR was introduced to support referees and improve decision-making, making it harder to understand why certain incidents continue to generate debate.
“It has been 10 years since VAR was introduced. There is no excuse. The technology came to help referees make the right decisions,” he stated.
Queiroz’s comments come after Ghana and England played out a hard-fought 0-0 draw at Gillette Stadium in a crucial Group L encounter. The result left the Black Stars level on four points with England at the top of the group, which kept Ghana a place in the Round of 32.
While the Black Stars produced a disciplined defensive display and created several promising opportunities, discussions after the match were dominated by the penalty appeal that Ghana’s camp believed deserved closer attention.
Despite his disappointment over the decision, Queiroz stopped short of directly criticising the match officials.
Instead, he called for continued improvements in the implementation of VAR to ensure greater consistency and fairness at major tournaments.
“We hope it will be better in the coming years,” he added.
Ghana now turns its attention to their final group match against Croatia, knowing that at least victory would guarantee a second place in the group going into the knockout stage for the first time since the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
