Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterSwitzerland hold a slender lead over Qatar at the halfway stage of their Group B opener, but is that scoreline deserved?Despite having plenty of goalscoring opportunities, Switzerland are winning by just one goal to nil at half-time, thanks to a penalty from Breel Embolo.After just 13 minutes we saw a spot-kick awarded to Switzerland, with Remo Freuler having his legs taken out from under him by Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada. Freuler appeared to be offside, but the VAR team stuck with the penalty call and Embolo stuck it away to give the Swiss the lead.Switzerland penalty call increases distrust in FIFA, says Gary NevilleReferee Said Martinez pointed to the spot after the collision, and while VAR took a long time to deliberate over the decision, they opted not to change the on-field decision.However, in replays of the incident, none of the usual lines were drawn on the footage to reveal the truth behind the offside debate. You may like Fans question Granit Xhaka role, as Switzerland make confusing set-piece choice Who is the referee for Qatar vs Switzerland? How to watch Qatar vs Switzerland live streams online and for FREE, with the 2022 hosts taking on Murat Yakin's side During the World Cup 2026 game, commentator Lee Dixon was bemused, insisting that, to his naked eye, it looked a certain offside. Still, he was told at the time by referee expert Christina Unkel, that the VAR technology was "incredibly accurate".But, at half-time in the ITV studio, it was clear Gary Neville was not happy with the decision and the lack of an explanation afterwards.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.He said: "Lee said it on commentary, we all think it here there is a massive question mark over that."Why aren't FIFA showing us when there's already such distrust for them? It's a dictatorship this: the idea that they hold this data internally and not show fans, it's absolutely ridiculous."Unkel was called upon again at the break, and she even seemed to call out FIFA for their lack of clarity and transparency on the matter."One of the things that surprises us, with the increased technology and all the players visually 3D-mapped, we thought FIFA would show us these tight calls," she commented."It would help with fan trust and credibility," Unkel added. "They usually only shown [those replays] when they change a referee decision, but we have the technology. Why not use the technology they've invested in?"Did you think it was offside? Tell us belowTOPICSGary NevilleSwitzerlandQatarWorld CupWorld Cup 2026Jakob BarnesFreelance WriterJakob has over 11 years of experience in journalism across sports, entertainment, tech, and politics. Now a freelance news writer for FourFourTwo, he covers the biggest stories from the world of football.
