VAR was first trialled in a match between two MLS reserve sides two years ago. Now it’s being used at a World Cup. Is this really a good idea? We asked our readers for their experiences of the system around the world. Not all of them are convinced.
Australia
When Fifa started selling VAR, they said it would cause minimum interruption and maximum benefit, with the main aim being to clear up howlers. I get the impression very little thought has gone into VAR. In Australia, it has been a total disaster. Crowds have dropped and fans hate it. I like the idea of giving managers three decisions per game with a maximum review period of 20 seconds and no longer.
Canada
I’ve visited Russian tea rooms before to have my fortune told. Given the long-standing tradition for this in Russia, it may be a more efficient way of deciding close calls this summer. Give the fourth official some soggy tea leaves and let him sort it out. It’ll surely go more smoothly than VAR. Jordan Devine
India
I’m for it, but only if it’s used only for critical decisions that will affect the outcome of a game – marginally offside goals, red cards. The game stop in these cases anyway so the “halt in play” argument used by detractors doesn’t hold water. The only issue is that the entire process is not displayed – like it is in cricket, for example. A more open process would be better. Ahitagni
Montenegro
I’m against the use of VAR in any league, especially the World Cup. To make a mistake is only human and referees are only human.
New Zealand
I’m for it, but fear it will create as much controversy as it eliminates. It should be limited to matters of fact: offsides, some handballs (whether the ball touched the hand, not whether it was intentional), was the ball in play, did a player fall when there was no contact, and so on. I don’t see the point in using VAR for subjective decisions because reviewing them on replay brings you no closer to a definitive answer – in the A-League in Australia there have been high-profile cases where it has taken us further from the commonly accepted decision. Peter Lye
Nigeria
Dortmund at Augsburg. Dortmund are awarded a penalty after two minutes of the alleged foul. Same weekend, Mario Mandzukic has a goal for Juventus at Atalanta disallowed for a foul, long after celebrating. And let’s not talk about Mainz v Köln. VAR is still in a work in progress, not least in terms of its timeliness, and that has evidently slowed down the game. Waiting for three minutes to know whether or not you can celebrate is a dampener, not everyone is Patrick Cutrone. No one wants to see a late dramatic goal in the World Cup semi-final delayed by VAR. As for the correctness of the decisions, check Ashley Young and his arm in the FA Cup final, proving it doesn’t erase debate. What’s the point of all my jibber jabber, you ask? I’m against VAR. Kia
Poland
The World Cup is meant to be the pinnacle of the game, not some testing ground for half-baked ideas. Stop tinkering with the rules and stop trying to fool anyone into believing that technology will solve any problems. Until there’s some dramatic AI development, football is going to be played and refereed by humans.
It has been a travesty in Poland. On the final day of the Ekstraklasa season, Jagiellonia Bialystok entertained Wisla Plock in a crucial game for both sides. The hosts were still hoping to win their maiden title, but that would require a win and for Lech to beat Legia Warsaw. Plock went ahead after 35 minutes through José Kanté. Ivan Runje levelled things up just before the break, but Kanté struck again immediately after the restart and restored the away team’s lead. Or at least that’s what they thought, because the referee ran to the monitor and saw … something. I’m not really sure anyone, himself included, knows what he saw. Anyway, he disallowed the goal. One one can only wonder what would have happened if the perfectly legal, disallowed second goal had stood. Zee
Portugal
I’m in favour of it. The Portuguese league has used it this season for the first time and, while there are obviously kinks in the system, it’s been a positive experience overall. With time and experience, it will be greatly useful. So far, the biggest problems have been a certain inconsistency and, more importantly, referees still adapting to the VAR procedures. Most of the negatives that were anticipated – delays in matches, and players and supporters becoming unable to celebrate goals – have simply not happened. The idea that VAR would end spontaneous goal celebrations has been shown up as frankly absurd.
Spain
I’m for using VAR at the World Cup. This competition will be seen by people all over the world and it is good that it is improving. The world is changing and football will have to do the same.
Sweden
I’m for using it, but not as a default. The coach of each team should be given one appeal per game to use if they feel the referee has made an incorrect call. Only then should VAR be used.
UK
There is no need for VAR. The sport is not broken. Don’t fix it. VAR has reversed a few dodgy decisions, but it has also ruined the emotional immediacy of goals and big moments. No way is it worth the trade-off. It’s a disaster for emotional immediacy. Imagine “Agüerooooo” in the age of VAR. It’s a nightmare to contemplate diluting that moment while someone stares at a screen to make sure “we get the big decisions right”. Ben Aitkenhead
Uruguay
I’m for VAR, of course. From the Uruguay matches at the last two World Cups alone, VAR would have prevented:
1) Luis Suárez’s sending off against Ghana, since video referees would have spotted the two Ghana players who were offside (not the one who dived though).
2) Two of the Netherlands goals in the semi-final shouldn’t have stood: one for a foul and the other because Robin van Persie was offside.
3) Suárez biting Giorgio Chiellini.
All these incidents were followed by protests, so not much time would have been wasted. Pablo Miguez
USA
Video technology has been introduced across the major professional sports in the US and has tended to cause more problems than it promised to reduce. It also disrupts the flow of games. The action comes to a grinding halt and the referees still tend to get the calls wrong.
In MLS, VAR was touted as something that would be employed rarely and only for “clear and obvious” calls. Instead it has quickly become a crutch for poor referees who lean too heavily on VAR to correct missed or wrong calls after the fact. It has been a failure to date, no matter what the league, US Soccer or referees claim. I wouldn’t miss it one bit if they did away with it tomorrow. Patrick Sullivan
