FIFA Explains Croatia's Disallowed Goal Against Portugal

The International Football Association (FIFA) has issued an official clarification regarding the disallowed goal for Croatia in the dying minutes of their match against Portugal in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, confirming that the decision was based on data from smart ball technology.

FIFA explained that the data showed a slight touch from Croatian forward Igor Matanoivc before the ball reached his teammate, which altered the moment of the offside call, leading the referee to correctly identify an offside situation and disallow the goal according to the laws of the game.

The international body added that the sensors inside the ball are capable of detecting any touch, no matter how slight, and this information is displayed during the broadcast as a graphic resembling "heartbeats," which assisted the video assistant referee in resolving one of the most controversial moments of the tournament.

The decision sparked widespread debate following the match, which ended with Portugal winning 2-1 and advancing to the Round of 16, while Croatia's coach Zlatko Dalic deemed the decision harsh, despite FIFA's confirmation that the use of smart ball technology and semi-automated offside was integral to the correctness of the refereeing decision.