English Football League Championship clubs have voted against introducing a video assistant referee (VAR) challenge system for the upcoming season. The proposed Football Video Support (FVS) system, a variant of VAR used in other sports, was initially suggested by Professional Game Match Officials during the EFL’s annual meeting in March.
Under the FVS model, managers would have been allowed two reviews per match, with the referee consulting different camera angles at 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, the Press Association has learned.
Goal-line technology will continue in the Championship next season, with potential extension to League One pending a vote on fully 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.
Nearly 8,000 supporters took part in the poll, with over 97% disagreeing that VAR makes watching football more enjoyable, and more than 90% saying it has not improved the matchgoing experience. Over 75% do not support VAR in football, and more than 90% believe it has removed the spontaneous joy of goal celebrations.
