sports
Meet the Philosopher-in-Training Who Will Be at the VAR Monitor This World Cup
Joe Dickerson is one of North America’s best referees, but he’ll be off the field in a high-pressure position when the World Cup begins
TL;DR
- Joe Dickerson, US Soccer's male referee of the year in 2025, will be a VAR official at the World Cup.
- Dickerson initially disliked using the monitor but has learned to tolerate it, seeing its value in minimizing errors.
- His academic work, including a thesis on Machiavelli and refereeing, influences his perspective on the sport.
- VAR has been a subject of philosophical debate, with criticism growing over its microscopic application in club football.
- Dickerson believes the tournament format of the World Cup favors referees in VAR decision-making due to its high visibility and short duration.
- Key contentious calls, particularly handballs, are extensively reviewed in referee seminars.
- World Cup referees are trained to be highly consistent, with a high percentage of decisions considered clear-cut.
- VAR operations now involve a team of three officials for enhanced review.
- Dickerson acknowledges public bias in VAR analysis but sees passion and subjectivity as beautiful aspects of the sport.