The VAR System in Football: How Does it Work and How Has it Changed Football?

VAR — Video Assistant Referee — is a technology that was first used on a large scale during the 2018 World Cup and fundamentally changed football. Today, the VAR system is used in almost all major leagues.

How does VAR work?

In a special room, 3-4 referees monitor images from all cameras in real time. They are connected to the main referee via radio. When the main referee makes a decision, the VAR referees check the video.

VAR only checks four types of situations:

1. Goal — was there a foul before the goal?

2. Penalty — was the penalty correctly awarded?

3. Direct red card — was there a serious foul?

4. Mistaken identity — was the card given to the wrong player?

Advantages of VAR

Since the introduction of VAR, the number of refereeing errors has significantly decreased. Incorrect penalty decisions have dropped by 85%. Offside errors have almost disappeared — goal-line technology detects offsides with millimeter precision.

Criticisms of VAR

The main criticism is that the game stops. A VAR review can last 1-3 minutes, which disrupts the rhythm of the match. Additionally, some decisions are still subjective — for example, handball situations.

Fans in stadiums often do not understand what is happening — even if shown on big screens, the decision-making process is criticized for not being transparent.

The Future of VAR

FIFA has introduced semi-automated offside technology — this significantly reduced VAR review time. In the future, it is expected that decisions will be made faster with the help of artificial intelligence.

The VAR system has also been introduced in the Uzbekistan Super League, which has improved the quality of local football. As for amateur footballers — there is no VAR, so the spirit of Fair Play is even more important!