Matches at this summer’s World Cup are set to see more incidents sent for VAR reviews – but referees have been told to be quicker to stop frustrating fans with long delays.
Players will also face more clampdowns on time-wasting as the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the independent global body responsible for safeguarding, compiling and amending the laws of the game, prioritises increasing the tempo and excitement of games.
The first expansion of the remit of video reviews since they first entered football a decade ago is set to be approved by IFAB next month.
Video assistant referees have only been allowed to intervene to assess goals, the awarding of penalties, direct red cards and whether the wrong player has been booked or sent off.
But IFAB – led this year by Wales – has now backed allowing referees to defer to VAR if:
• A second yellow card has been incorrectly shown based on a “clear factual error”, leading to a dismissal;
• The wrong team has been punished, resulting in a card being shown;
• A corner has been wrongly awarded.
Referees have been told to take these decisions “immediately and without delaying the restart”.
“I think that people get the principle of getting the correct decision, but also fans don’t want to see us extend delays to the game any more,” Football Association of Wales CEO Noel Mooney told Sky News.
“Nobody is looking to get more disruption to the game. VAR has been so positive in so many ways but there’s nothing as frustrating when you see a really clearly wrong decision against your team. Nobody wants that.”
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Player welfare concerns as match time increases
Some matches are creeping over 100 minutes – creating player welfare concerns – as referees deliberate over decisions, often watching multiple replays provided by VAR on pitch-side screens.
Mr Mooney, who chaired an IFAB meeting this week, said: “The theme of the IFAB this year will be reducing time-wasting, reducing distractions from the enjoyment of the game, so there’s no desire whatsoever to see VAR used in a way that would delay the game in any shape or form.”
The first trials with VAR were introduced in 2016 after years of concerns about the impact on football.
The expansion of VAR will address an inconsistency where a player’s direct red card could be overturned for being wrong or harsh, but an offence leading to a second yellow card could not be reviewed by watching replays – even if TV viewers can see it’s clearly wrong.
New limit on how long goalkeepers can hold on to ball
IFAB will also look to speed up the taking of throw-ins and goal kicks by adopting the eight-second time limit, restricting how long goalkeepers can hold on to the ball.
It’s intended to stop teams from tactically holding up games.
“We want to see the game more entertaining,” Mr Mooney said. “So when you go to a match of 90 minutes, you’re seeing a lot more time of the ball moving and exciting moments.”
FIFA holds half of the IFAB votes, with the other four held by the UK’s four football associations, who formed the law-making body 140 years ago.
