The Football Association has defended its decision to use Video Assistant Referees (VAR) at only nine of the 32 FA Cup third-round ties this weekend, citing infrastructure and cost constraints. Only matches played at Premier League grounds will have access to the technology, meaning that West Bromwich Albion’s clash with Brighton at the Hawthorns will go without, despite the system being installed at the stadium.
The FA Cup has employed VAR since 2018 as a trial, but the FA has never applied for a full licence from the International Football Association Board (Ifab). Last season, VAR was used only in ties hosted by Premier League clubs up to the quarter-finals, where all matches were then licensed. No decision has yet been made on licensing later rounds this season.
The FA acknowledged potential inconsistencies in officiating standards but said the benefits of VAR outweigh the drawbacks. A spokesperson stated: “Video assistant referees provide match officials with additional support and should be utilised wherever possible. However, only Premier League stadiums are currently licensed to use VAR due to the infrastructure, workforce and costs that are required.”
The Premier League introduced VAR permanently for the 2019-20 season, while the EFL has avoided it due to expense. However, five Championship clubs retain the technology from previous top-flight stints, and there are reports that some Championship clubs are pushing for a scaled-down “VAR light” system, which has been approved for trials by Ifab.
