Los Angeles: Marc Cucurella’s goal disallowed in Spain vs Austria World Cup match

By Rohan Gupta — 3 July 2026 — 3 min read

During the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 32 match between Spain and Austria in Los Angeles, a goal scored by Marc Cucurella was disallowed, causing confusion among fans. The incident occurred just before the half-hour mark when Spain earned a corner kick. The ball found Cucurella amidst a scramble in front of the penalty box, and the Real Madrid full-back struck it into the net, beginning celebrations.

However, referee Glenn Nyberg subsequently disallowed the goal. The decision was made after a review, with Nyberg indicating a foul in the build-up to the goal. Specifically, Pau Cubarsi was deemed to have fouled Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.

Why the Goal Was Disallowed

The disallowance was based on Rule 10.1 of the laws of football, as established by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). This rule stipulates that a goal is valid only if the entire ball crosses the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided no offence has been committed by the scoring team. Cubarsi’s foul on the goalkeeper was considered a violation of this clause, providing sufficient grounds for the referee and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team to overturn the goal.

Reports further clarify that the VAR review identified a Spanish player in an offside position who was judged to have interfered with the Austrian goalkeeper. This determination was made under FIFA Law 11, which includes an offside interference clause. The player in question did not touch the ball, but their proximity was deemed to have impacted the goalkeeper’s ability to make a save.

The semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) was used to flag the offside position. Following this, the VAR team assessed whether the offside player’s presence constituted ‘interference with an opponent’ as per Law 11, Section 2. This assessment led to the recommendation to disallow the goal.

Debate Over VAR and Consistency

The decision has reportedly sparked considerable debate regarding the consistency of VAR application. Spain’s coaching staff have reportedly questioned the degree of interference, suggesting that the offside player might not have genuinely obstructed the goalkeeper’s line of sight, especially since the goalkeeper appeared to dive in the correct direction.

Furthermore, the Spanish camp has reportedly cited at least one other instance earlier in the tournament where a similarly positioned offside player was not penalised, and the goal was allowed to stand. This has led to concerns that if the same technology and rulebook produce different outcomes in comparable situations, the system may not be eliminating subjectivity but rather obscuring it.

The IFAB’s 2024–25 guidance notes have broadened the definition of interference to include scenarios where an offside player’s proximity ‘prevents an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or movement.’ This expanded interpretation means that even without touching the ball, an offside player’s position can lead to a goal being disallowed if it is judged to have made it harder for the goalkeeper to perform their role.

The incident involving Cucurella’s disallowed goal is not isolated, as officiating controversies have reportedly been a feature of the 2026 World Cup. The frustration among various teams reportedly stems from the perception that while technology has become more precise, the human judgment aspect of VAR interventions remains contentious.

Impact on Future Matches

The ruling implies that all remaining teams in the knockout rounds must now consider the risk that any set-piece goal could be retroactively disallowed due to the position of a teammate who never made contact with the ball. This situation highlights the ongoing discussions within football about the balance between technological precision and subjective interpretation in critical match decisions, as seen in the Spain vs Austria match on July 2, 2026.

Source: sportstar.thehindu.com

Rohan Gupta

Sports Reporter