In-stadium VAR announcements will be trialled in English football for the first time Carabao Cup Semi-finals next week.
Arsenal’s semi-final first leg at home to Newcastle will be the first game of the announcement trial, when a referee will explain their final decision over the stadium’s public address system after inspecting the pitch-side monitor.
An announcement will also be made on the conclusion of factual matters such as accidental handballs or offside rulings by a goalscorer. Only the final decision will be announced at the stadium and not the full VAR process that Howard Webb, Chief Referee of the professional game Match Officials Ltd, runs on the Micked Up programme.
The pilot scheme, which coincides with VAR’s arrival at this stage of the Carabao Cup, is part of PGMOL’s efforts. Provide more transparency and understanding of key decisions in the game. Referees are preparing for its introduction by taking part in match-related exercises at the stadiums of professional clubs. The technology has the support of the EFL, which collaborated with PGMOL to trial VAR in 2018 before bringing it to the Premier League.
In-stadium VAR announcements were trialled at the Club World Cup and Under-20 World Cup before being used for the first time at a major event at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The technology is expected to bring greater clarity to fans inside the stadium and to television viewers at home.
The trial will continue in both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-finals, with Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium next Tuesday and Tottenham hosting Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur the following night. The second leg is at St James’ Park on February 5 and Anfield on February 6.
