FIFA World Cup 2026: Why Referee Disallowed Marko Arnautovic's Goal In Austria vs Jordan

Austria celebrated what looked like a decisive moment against Jordan in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J opener, only for VAR to step in and overturn the goal after a lengthy review. The incident involving Marko Arnautovic became one of the talking points of the match, although Austria eventually secured all three points with a convincing 3-1 victory.

Austria Thought They Had Reclaimed The Lead

The drama unfolded in the 66th minute at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Following a chaotic sequence inside Jordan's penalty area, the ball broke kindly for Marko Arnautovic, who bundled it into the net from close range.

Austria's players rushed away in celebration, believing they had restored their lead after Jordan's second-half equaliser. However, the referee delayed the restart as VAR officials began checking the build-up to the goal.

What Did VAR Find?

The review centred on Austria defender Stefan Posch. Replays showed the ball making contact with Posch's right arm while Austria were trying to create the scoring opportunity.

Although VAR examined the footage, officials chose not to make the final call themselves and instead advised referee Dahane Beida to conduct an on-field review. After watching the incident from multiple angles on the pitchside monitor, Beida returned and ruled out the goal.

The referee determined that Posch's handball had played a direct role in the attacking move that led to Arnautovic finding the net.

FIFA's Handball Rule Explained

Under FIFA regulations, a goal cannot stand if a handball offence by an attacking team occurs in the immediate attacking phase leading to the score.

Because the ball had struck Posch's arm before reaching Arnautovic, the entire move was considered invalid, resulting in the goal being cancelled despite Austria having put the ball in the net.

Austria Finish The Job

The overturned goal did not derail Austria's momentum. The European side regained control soon afterwards when Jordan defender Yazan Al-Arab inadvertently scored an own goal while attempting to clear a corner delivery.

Arnautovic eventually got his name on the scoresheet in added time. The veteran striker calmly converted a penalty after Jordan's Salim Obaid was penalised for a handball inside the box.

With the late penalty adding gloss to the result, Austria completed a 3-1 win over Jordan and opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with maximum points.