The Football Association has announced a key change to the 2024-25 Emirates FA Cup, confirming that Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be implemented “from the Fifth Round onwards” to ensure a consistent refereeing approach across all matches at this stage of the competition.
In the official press release on Monday on its website, titled, “VAR Confirmed for Emirates FA Cup from Fifth Round Onward.”
The FA stated, “It has been agreed that VAR will be utilised for every match in the Fifth Round of the competition through to the Final at Wembley Stadium.”
However, it clarified that VAR “will not be in operation for the Third and Fourth Rounds.”
This decision reflects an effort to address historical challenges associated with the use of VAR in the competition.
Previously, VAR was only deployed “for matches at Wembley Stadium and Premier League grounds due to the infrastructure, workforce, and costs that are required for its operation.”
By focusing its implementation from the Fifth Round onwards, the FA aims to strike a balance between accessibility and fairness.
The press release emphasized that this change ensures consistency for all clubs: “This decision ensures that there is a consistent refereeing approach for all clubs taking part in the same stage of the competition.”
As the Emirates FA Cup approaches its pivotal stages, fans and players alike can expect a heightened sense of fairness and precision, with VAR now playing a central role in shaping the competition’s climax.
VAR introduction in EPL
PUNCH Online reports that VAR was introduced at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where 335 incidents were checked by VAR officials, and is already underway in some other European leagues.
In 2018, the Premier League voted to use the Video Assistant Referee system from next season after clubs “agreed in principle.”
During a meeting attended by key members of all 20 Premier League clubs, officials were presented with an update on the non-live VAR trials taking place.
The video assistant referee was introduced in the 2019/20 season for “clear and obvious errors” or “serious missed incidents” in specific situations.
However, the promise that it would lead to “more correct and fairer judgements”, even though the Premier League conceded that 100 per cent accuracy was impossible, with calls in November 2023 prompting for a review.
Meanwhile, ahead of the 2024/25 season, Premier League clubs, in June 2024, voted in favour of continuing to operate the VAR, while agreeing that improvements should be made for the benefit of the game and supporters.
