Revealed: Carabao Cup semi-finals will trial in-stadium VAR bulletins by referees subsequent week
In-stadium VAR announcements will be trialled in next week’s Carabao Cup.
The trial will run over both legs of the upcoming semi-finals – where Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool and Tottenham will all be in action.
It’ll mark a first in English football, with referees set to announce the final VAR decision after taking a trip to the pitchside monitor or upon the conclusion of factual matters.
A full statement from the EFL read: ‘VAR will be in place for this season’s Carabao Cup Semi-Finals, along with the first use of in-stadium VAR announcements in English football.
‘As part of the trial, referees will announce (over the stadium public address system) the final decision following a visit to the VAR pitchside monitor, or upon the conclusion of factual matters such as accidental handball by a goalscorer or offside judgements. Only the final decision will be announced in the stadium.
‘In-stadium VAR announcements have already been successfully introduced in several FIFA events, including the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and aim to provide greater clarity and understanding around key decisions to supporters in the stadiums and those watching from home.
In-stadium VAR announcements will be trialled in next week’s Carabao Cup fixtures
Referees will announce the final VAR decision after taking a trip to the pitchside monitor
‘The new pilot forms part of PGMOL’s broader commitment to transparency and embracing technological advancements for the benefit of Match Officials and fans. This latest pilot has the support of the EFL and follows earlier collaboration with PGMOL in 2018 to trial VAR in EFL competitions ahead of its introduction in the Premier League.
‘The trial will run over both legs of the Arsenal v Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool Semi-Final ties, with the first legs taking place at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday 7 January and at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday 8 January.
‘The winner of each tie will progress to the Final which will take place at Wembley on Sunday 16 March’.
Back in August, referees chief Howard Webb presented a six-point plan to improve the controversial technology that has proved so divisive since its introduction in 2019.
The six points include: improving the clarity of threshold for VAR interventions, reducing delays to the game, enhancing supporter experience, bolstering VAR training, ensuring better transparency and communication of decisions and an ongoing education plan.
There has already been a particular focus this season on what the Premier League have branded the ‘Referees Call’, which has seen an emphasis on trusting on-field decisions unless evidence is ‘readily available’ that a call constitutes a clear and obvious error.
With that in mind, when a referee is told to go to their monitor on a VAR call, they are now shown footage at full speed. The only time they are shown a slowed-down video is when the point of contact needs to be established.
More to follow…
