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The Conversation
The Conversation
Pooya Tabesh, Associate Professor of Management, California State University, Los Angeles

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

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan argues with referee François Letexier during the Argentina-Egypt World Cup match on July 7, 2026. AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser

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.

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