VAR to be used at the Women’s World Cup for the first time

FIFA confirmed today that Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be used at the Women’s World Cup in France this summer for the first time ever.

This follows VAR making its debut at the men’s World Cup in Russia last year.

VAR is not currently used in any senior women’s domestic or international competitions.

While this may seem like a last minute addition, FIFA confirmed that many referees who will be in France have been working with VAR at workshops since 2016. At the most recent workshop, the officials used it throughout a tournament for more match experience and that is why the decision also took time.

At a camp in Qatar last month, 27 referees and 48 assistant referees selected for the Women’s World Cup took part in VAR training.

The purpose of this training was to gauge whether the technology would be used at the tournament, with world football’s governing body approving its use at a Fifa Council meeting in Miami on Friday.

VAR is focused on four types of match-altering incidents – goals, mistaken identity, penalties and straight red cards.

Once an incident occurs, either the referee informs the VAR or is informed by them that it needs reviewing before the referee decides to review video footage on the side of the pitch or accepts the information from the VAR to make a decision.

The Women’s World Cup takes place in France from 7 June to 7 July.