RadioTimes.com has rounded up everything you need to know about VAR.
When VAR was introduced in 2018, football’s decision-makers – the International Football Association Board (IFAB) – promised that it would be a “historic step for greater fairness”, but a glance at the sports pages on any weekend during the season illustrates that things haven’t quite panned out that way.
It’s been more than half a decade since the international football community voted for its introduction, and though there have been plenty of positives, the technology has brought with it a new set of controversies.
Barely a week goes by without the debate surrounding VAR and whether it has been good or bad for the game being rehashed.
Whether you believe its arrival has led to a fairer game or taken away some of the pure elation of the sport, one thing is for sure, it has reshaped the way millions of supporters around the world experience the beautiful game.
RadioTimes.com has rounded up everything you need to know about VAR.
Read more football features: Best players in the world | Best players of all time | Live football on TV today | Premier League TV schedule | Championship TV schedule
What is VAR?
Let’s start with the basics. The VAR, or video assistant referee, is a qualified official that watches the game with access to multiple screens, angles, and replays, and is charged with helping the on-field officials come to the right decisions.
In the Premier League, the VAR is aided by an assistant VAR and a replay operator.
They’re constantly monitoring the game, but have to act according to a “minimum interference – maximum benefit” philosophy in order to ensure that the pace, flow and intensity of the game we all love is not negatively impacted.
That means they’re only supposed to intervene when there has been a clear and obvious error or a serious missed incident in relation to a goal, a penalty, a straight red card or a case of mistaken identity.
VAR will also intervene for objective decisions such as offside, encroachment at a penalty or to clarify whether a player is inside or outside the box.
Either the referee will ask the VAR to look at an incident or the VAR will recommend the referee reviews a decision. A player cannot ask for the VAR to get involved.
The VAR can assess an incident while the game is still going on, but once play stops, it cannot restart until the check is complete.
Ultimately, the final decision rests with the referee, either based on what they have seen on the pitch-side monitor or from the advice they have received from the VAR.
Where is VAR in use in 2023/24?
Not every competition or league has the technology in place or has opted to use it.
At the moment, it is only used in international tournaments and qualifiers, as well as many of the bigger domestic leagues and competitions, such as the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A, as well as the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.
In the UK, VAR is in use in the Premier League but not in the Championship, League One or League Two – apart from in the EFL play-off finals at Wembley.
At the grounds where it is available, VAR has been used in the FA Cup, but is restricted to the two-legged semi-finals and final in the Carabao Cup.
If you’re looking for something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide, or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who with a special issue of Radio Times. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.