Championship clubs have voted against introducing a video assistant referee (VAR) challenge system for the upcoming season, according to the Press Association.
The proposed Football Video Support (FVS) system, a variant of VAR used in other sports, was put forward by Professional Game Match Officials during the EFL’s annual meeting in March. Under the system, managers would have been allowed two reviews per match, with the referee consulting a pitchside monitor. Successful challenges would not have counted against a team's allocation.
However, following an EFL survey, the majority of clubs opposed the introduction of the system. Goal-line technology will continue in the Championship next season, with potential extension to League One pending a vote on costed proposals in June.
VAR was introduced to the Premier League in 2019, but a recent Football Supporters’ Association survey found that three-quarters of top-flight fans are against its use. Of nearly 8,000 respondents, more than 97% disagreed that VAR makes watching football more enjoyable, and over 90% said it has not improved the matchgoing experience. More than 90% also believe the technology has removed the spontaneous joy of goal celebrations.
