Fifa To Test In-game Video Replays Next Year

FIFA, football’s world governing body, along with the International Football Association Board (IFAB), has approved tests of video replays to review controversial incidents.

Competitions involved in the test include the Australian Hyundai A-League, German Bundesliga and United States Major League Soccer.

According to IFAB, being tested are video replays against “game-changing” decisions such as penalty calls, direct red card incident and goals. Trials are expected to begin early next year and the pair won’t decide if Video Assistant Referees (VARS) system will be a permanent fixture until 2018 or 2019.

During the tests, the VARs system will work on its own so they can assess video replays and practice making calls without communicating with the referee. Live experiments are expected to take place in the 2017/18 season.

IFAB secretary Lukas Brud said: “The IFAB believes the best way to answer the question of whether the use of VARs will improve the game is to test it in different regions, so we are delighted to already have competitions across four confederations sign up. The organisers of these competitions can now begin installing and testing video replay facilities as well as training match officials and technical staff in line with the protocol and in consultation with The IFAB and FIFA’s Football Technology Innovation Department.”