Switzerland striker Breel Embolo became the first player at the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be sent off under FIFA’s newly introduced ‘mistaken identity’ rule, leaving many fans confused about why the referee was allowed to change his decision after a VAR review.
The controversial moment came during Switzerland’s quarter-final defeat to Argentina in Kansas City.
What Happened?
With the score level in the second half, Embolo went down in the penalty area after a challenge involving Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes.
Portuguese referee João Pinheiro initially believed Paredes had committed the foul and showed the Argentine a yellow card.
However, after being called to the pitch-side monitor by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), Pinheiro reviewed the incident and reached a completely different conclusion.
Instead of penalising Paredes, the referee ruled that Embolo had simulated the contact. Since the Swiss forward had already been booked earlier in the match, he received a second yellow card, which resulted in a red card.
Embolo left the pitch in tears as Switzerland were reduced to 10 men in one of the biggest moments of the match.
Why Was the Referee Allowed to Change His Mind?
Before the 2026 World Cup, FIFA introduced several law changes for the tournament. One of the most important was a new rule requested by FIFA’s Head of Refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, to deal with cases of mistaken identity.
Previously, once a referee had shown a yellow card, it could not normally be changed after play restarted, even if VAR showed the caution had been given to the wrong player.
Under the new law, if VAR proves that the player who was booked or sent off was actually the victim and that the offence was committed by the opposing player, the referee is now allowed to cancel the original card and punish the correct player instead.
That is exactly what happened in the Embolo incident.
The yellow card first shown to Paredes was withdrawn after the review, while Embolo was booked for simulation. Because it was his second caution of the game, the booking automatically became a red card.
Not the First Use of the New Rule
Although Embolo became the first player to be sent off under the new law, the rule had already been used earlier in the tournament.
During the United States’ match against Paraguay, referee Danny Makkelie initially booked USA defender Tim Ream for a foul on Miguel Almirón.
Following a VAR review, the decision was overturned. Ream’s yellow card was cancelled, while Almirón was instead booked for simulation after the referee concluded that no foul had been committed.
It marked the first successful use of FIFA’s new mistaken identity law at the tournament.
A Rule Players Must Understand
The Embolo incident has sparked debate among fans, players and coaches, but it also highlights the importance of understanding FIFA’s updated Laws of the Game before major tournaments.
With new regulations now allowing referees to correct cases of mistaken identity after VAR intervention, players who attempt to win fouls through simulation risk being punished even after an initial decision appears to have gone in their favour.
For Switzerland, the new law proved decisive, as Embolo’s dismissal changed the balance of the match and paved the way for Argentina’s victory and a place in the World Cup semi-finals.
