VAR coach challenges coming to new competitions

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) on Monday approved expanded trials of Football Video Support (FVS), an alternative VAR system which gives coaches the chance to challenge decisions.

FVS, which was used at the U20 and U17 FIFA Women’s World Cups this year, was initially given the green light for testing by the IFAB in March as a cost-effective alternative to VAR.

Pierluigi Collina, the chairman of FIFA’s referees’ committee, told ESPN last month that he would be making an application at the IFAB’s Annual Business Meeting in London to have trials in more competitions.

Rather than reviews being overseen and controlled only by an official acting as a video assistant referee, FVS gives coaches the chance to make up to two challenges per match if they feel an error has been made.

At present, the challenge system is only intended for use in leagues with fewer resources, ideally with no more than four cameras, rather than top divisions like the Premier League. It could be used in a competition like the Women’s Super League, which has problems using VAR due to the wide-ranging size and type of stadiums used.

“We are at the beginning of the trial and the experiences at both the U20 and U17 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be carefully analysed but so far, we haven’t noticed anything unexpected,” Collina told ESPN. “Several FIFA member associations already showed the interest to participate to the trial.

“Making clear that FVS is not VAR is critical, in particular in terms of expectation. Because of the limited number of cameras, FVS won’t be able to show what VAR can show. Offside is an example: without cameras properly positioned, only clear offside can be spotted. This makes the on-field decision important too.

“FVS is designed to work with a limited camera set up, ideally up to four to five. With more cameras, the process of checking all of the footage and available angles may become very long as, and differently from VAR, there are not any video match officials selecting those clips to be seen by the referee.”

With FVS the coach makes a challenge to a decision and the referee then goes to the side of the pitch to view a replay of the incident. Unlike with VAR, there is only a replay operator who cues up the video. The match referee alone then assesses his own decision and isn’t told he has made a clear and obvious error in advance.

The IFAB was also presented with update to a trial which addresses goalkeepers holding the ball for too long, and sees the opposition given a corner or throw-in (two separate trials) if it is held for more than eight seconds after they have clear control. Premier League 2, a competition for the 25 clubs with “Category One” academies, has been part of this trial.

Also discussed was the trial which sees only the captain able to speak to the referee, trials involving public announcements after lengthy VAR checks and VAR reviews, developments in relation to semi-automated offside technology and the use of referee body cameras.

The IFAB’s Annual General Meeting on March 1 will take the next decisions in relation to these trials, and confirm any amendments to the Laws, to take effect from next July.