VAR has played a major role in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The recent technological addition to football returned to the quadrennial tournament after being used in the 2019 edition for the first time in a women’s World Cup. There’s a team of 19 video match officials operating VAR in the tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. That total includes six women, for the first time ever.
The technology was on full display in Sunday’s USWNT-Sweden match, all the way down to the final moment. With the score tied at 4-4 in a penalty kick shootout, U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher appeared to have saved a shot from Sweden’s Lina Hurtig. But after a quick review from VAR, it became more clear that the ball ever-so-slightly cleared the goal line.
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Here’s everything to know about VAR at the 2023 World Cup:
What is VAR?
VAR stands for video assistant referee. It is a tool designed to further assist on-field referees in making correct decisions as they occur while minimizing risks and errors.
Referees are able to head to an on-field booth near the tunnel to view replays of the incident through multiple angles and slow motion to review calls.
When was VAR introduced?
VAR had first been soft launched in the 2012-13 Eredivisie season in the Netherlands.
In 2018, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) approved trials before it was used in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The Premier League first used it in the 2019-20 season.
How accurate is VAR?
Though VAR entered the sport to help boost accuracy levels, it’s nearly impossible for the rate to be 100% due to the subjectivity of certain calls.
In the Premier League, for example, there was a tangible improvement. Before the 2018-19 season, the percentage of correct match decisions was 82%. That figure increased to 94% after the 2019-20 season with VAR’s implementation, according to the Premier League.
Can VAR overrule a referee?
No, VAR cannot overrule a referee. VAR can provide advice to the referee on when to check the monitor themselves or which angles to view to make a better judgment, but the final decision rests on the referee’s shoulders.
At the 2023 World Cup, VAR decisions will be explained in real time to fans in stadiums and television audiences for additional transparency.
