Fifa demands explanation for VAR official's mysterious hand signal during 2026 World Cup

Fifa is investigating a hand gesture made by VAR official Shaun Evans during Germany's 7-1 win over Curacao in 2026.

Fifa investigates VAR's gesture Fifa is requesting clarification regarding a hand signal displayed by video assistant referee Shaun Evans before Germany’s 7-1 victory over Curacao in 2026. Prior to matches during the World Cup, Fifa briefly highlights officials as part of its global broadcast coverage. The referee and their team walk to the sidelines where a graphic appears showing their names and roles. The broadcast then cuts to the VAR team in the referee hub located in Dallas. ## VAR team poses briefly before incident Instead of showing the VAR team actively reviewing footage on their screens, officials briefly posed for the camera with their names displayed. During Sunday’s broadcast, Evans stood with his arm at his side before making a right-hand gesture with his fingers forming an upside-down 'OK' sign. The ambiguous gesture carries two opposing meanings: one harmless and another linked to white supremacy symbolism. Social media immediately erupted with speculation following the incident. ## No official response from Fifa yet Despite multiple inquiries, no formal explanation has been provided by Fifa regarding the incident. However, it has been confirmed that Fifa is seeking answers from the Australian VAR official. Following the Germany versus Curacao match, a noticeable shift occurred in the pre-match presentation of the VAR hub. In the next three games, officials were shown facing their monitors rather than looking toward the camera, though their names remained visible on screen. ## Understanding the upside-down OK signal The gesture made by Evans resembles the one used in the circle game, a prank popularized by the US sitcom Malcolm in the Middle and later spread as an internet meme. In this version, the hand is positioned below the waist and, if seen by another person, results in a playful punch to the shoulder. However, in 2017, the same gesture began being adopted by far-right groups as a covert communication tool. By 2019, the Anti-Defamation League included the OK symbol on its list of hate symbols. ## Anti-discrimination group seeks answers The Fare network, which collaborates with Fifa and Uefa to combat racism in football, stated it was seeking clarification on the incident. Experts consulted by Fare indicated that the gesture strongly resembles the upside-down 'OK' hand symbol used as a white power emblem in far-right circles worldwide. Evans, a 38-year-old official on Fifa’s referee list since 2017, has officiated in major tournaments including the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. ## Evans' background and career highlights Evans has served as a referee in Australia’s A-League since 2012 and was in charge of the 2019 Grand Final. His experience includes being appointed to the Fifa list of referees in 2017 and officiating at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Despite the controversy, his professional standing remains unchanged pending Fifa’s review. No further statements have been issued regarding any potential disciplinary action. ## Changes observed in VAR broadcast after incident Following the controversial gesture, a change in how the VAR hub was presented became evident during three subsequent matches. None of the VAR teams posed for the camera; instead, they were shown actively viewing their monitors. Fifa has not provided any explanation for this alteration in the broadcast format. The affected matches included Netherlands versus Japan, Ivory Coast versus Ecuador, and Sweden versus Tunisia.