3. FIFA already permits wasted time during the game and has a mechanism to allow additional time at the end of halves.

Two minutes or so over the course of a game would be a small price to pay for determining the legitimacy of each goal.

If FIFA is truly concerned about stopping play, why don't they go after flopping and fake injuries aggressively? That adds at least six minutes or so to every match.

Reviewing every goal would add, at most, two minutes to your average soccer game, potentially less.

Isn't that worth it?

Of course it is.

4. FIFA officials would probably welcome the change.

This is the real irony here, allowing replay review often strengthens the public perception of officiating.

How?

Because in super slow-motion HD, as often as we recognize missed calls, we more often than not realize an official made the correct call. We're only talking about a few missed calls here on goals or not-goals that have clouded the perception of the entire tournament.

Think of, for instance, the small percentage of NFL calls that are reversed. Using instant replay in the NFL hasn't demeaned confidence in officials, it's actually increased confidence.

The same would hold true in the World Cup.

What's more, knowing that they won't be castigated for an unintentional error that changes the outcome of a game often allows officials to relax and call a better game than they otherwise would.

My point: Instant replay doesn't undermine officials, it increase their authority.

5. The appearance of corruption is vastly diminished.

Let's be clear here, soccer officiating has a dirty connotation in much of the world. Part of that has to do with the global nature of World Cup officiating, there's a sense that petty feuds and dislikes can lead to borderline calls going against your country. Put it this way, the World Cup makes NBA officiating seem above board.

For an American soccer fan it always seems as if we're getting screwed somehow. Partly, that's fan perception. We tend to see things in the light most favorable to our teams interests. But is there some legitimacy to anti-Americanism in soccer?

I think so.

Putting the most important plays in soccer -- goals -- up for immediate review would go a long way towards cleansing the palate of the taste of corruption.

Ultimately, scoring a goal in the World Cup is one of the rarest feats in all of sports. Amazing skill, tremendous team play, the perfect pass, the glorious shot, everything must coalesce at an instant of full speed fury to manage a goal. That's why the transcendent joy that heralds the scoring of a goal is a moment like no other, you've just managed the most difficult feat in all of team sports.

Doesn't FIFA owe it to soccer fans across the world to make certain that we don't ever lose a single goal that should have counted?

Of course it does.

That's why the World Cup needs instant replay.

Immediately.

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