The magic of the FA Cup returns this weekend with the competition's iconic third round, but there will be one notable absentee from the touchlines: the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). In a significant decision, the Football Association has confirmed that VAR will not be used in any of the 32 third-round fixtures taking place across the country.
Why VAR Has Been Shelved for the Third Round
The FA's choice to forgo the controversial technology at this stage is rooted in several practical and philosophical considerations. The primary aim is to uphold a core principle of the historic tournament: consistency and sporting integrity. The governing body determined that having different officiating rules for different matches in the same round would be unfair. This means a Premier League giant playing at their state-of-the-art home ground will operate under the same refereeing conditions as a non-league side hosting a cup giant-killing on their modest pitch.
Beyond the principle of a level playing field, substantial logistical hurdles make a blanket rollout impossible. Many lower-league and non-league stadiums simply lack the necessary infrastructure, such as the high-speed fibre-optic cabling and the array of specialised camera angles required for VAR to function. Furthermore, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) does not have the capacity to supply the sudden, massive influx of trained VAR officials needed to cover all 32 matches simultaneously.
Licensing and Future Implementation
Adding another layer of complexity are the official licensing constraints. The FA has not sought, and would unlikely receive, a blanket International Football Association Board (IFAB) licence for every football ground in the pyramid. The technology is therefore restricted to pre-approved, certified venues, which are almost exclusively in the top divisions.
This approach of simplifying logistics by removing VAR for the early rounds is set to change in the near future. The FA has already confirmed that for the 2025/26 season, VAR will be introduced from the fifth round proper onwards. That stage is scheduled for the weekend of March 7, 2026. From that point through to the Final at Wembley, every match will utilise the technology.
Key Fixtures to Watch This Weekend
The absence of VAR promises a pure, old-school cup atmosphere for a host of tantalising fixtures. This weekend's standout ties include:
- Wrexham vs Nottingham Forest
- Macclesfield vs Crystal Palace
- Manchester City vs Exeter City
- Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa
- Charlton Athletic vs Chelsea
- Portsmouth vs Arsenal
- Manchester United vs Brighton
- Liverpool vs Barnsley
With VAR out of the picture, the focus will return entirely to the drama on the pitch, where every refereeing decision will be final and debated in real-time by fans, just as it was for over a century before technology's intervention. The decision underscores the FA Cup's unique place in football, where tradition and modernity often meet at a crossroads.
