Why France had a free kick overturned against Spain – and was VAR involved?

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleA free-kick awarded to France in their World Cup 2026 semi-final against Spain was controversially overturned in the first half. The incident involved Ousmane Dembele and Fabian Ruiz, with Dembele initially appearing to win a foul in the 43rd minute. Salvadoran official Ivan Barton initially gave the free-kick but reversed his decision after receiving advice from the assistant referee, not VAR. The reversal caused confusion among fans, as no yellow card had been issued, unlike previous similar incidents in the tournament where cards were wrongly given. Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal (penalty) and Pedro Porro put Spain 2-0 up, moving them closer to the World Cup final. In fullWas France free-kick against Spain overruled by VAR in World Cup semi-final?More bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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