What video review controversies in sports reveal about AI and human decision-making

The World Cup’s VAR controversies reveal a broader challenge for AI-assisted decision-making: deciding what AI should handle, what it should support and what should be left to human judgment.

By: Pooya Tabesh, California State University, Los Angeles, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: July 30, 2026

Words: 1,001

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 6 days ago

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By Pooya Tabesh, California State University, Los Angeles

If you watched the 2026 FIFA World Cup, you probably saw the now-familiar ritual: a goal, a celebration, then a referee touching an earpiece while fans and players wait for the verdict from the video assistant referee, or VAR.

That ritual is not unique to soccer. Baseball has a replay center in New York, and other sports have also moved once-human calls into review systems.

The …

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