The 2018 World Cup will be the first to use VAR technology. This in itself is historic. For as long as television has been a part of football, the use of match footage to make referees’ jobs easier has been discussed like some sort of utopian vision. This summer, it will become a reality, although all at FIFA and across the sport will have their fingers crossed that this isn’t remembered as ‘the VAR World Cup.’
It’s fair to say that testing of VAR technology as a refereeing aid hasn’t gone so smoothly so far. Confusion and a lack of clarity has dogged its use, with the Premier League so concerned by the tests undergone to date that they have put their adoption of the technology on hold for at least another season.
The main issue experienced is that for all that VAR is designed to reduce the number of big moment blunders made at the top level, the decision over when and when not to use the technology is still left up to the referee. And even then, when it is used, the call is down to personal judgement and interpretation of the rules.
Studies show that VAR increases the likelihood of a correct decision from 93% to 98.8%, but for some that is not enough to compensate for the chaos the technology often brings. Video technology isn’t the most natural of fits for a fluid sport like football and it’s only now that this is being truly realised.
Any VAR chaos at this World Cup could have severe repercussions for the future of the technology in football. The world is watching and if fans react badly to what happens in Russia this summer then it could put shivers up the back of leagues and officials who have committed to installing VAR in the coming years. It could stop the VAR movement in its tracks.
“It is just like a new job: before you understand it, it will take some time,” Ghanaian referee Bakary Papa Gassama said in a recent interview. “As time goes on, with this new technology, many referees and many VARs will understand better. VAR is a very good tool for referees, because, as a referee, you don't want a scandal or a very big mistake that you will regret.”
Of course, it’s possible that the World Cup could pass without incident, thus proving VAR’s readiness for the elite level of the sport. Either way, it seems likely that this summer’s tournament will go down in history as a landmark moment in the development of the sport. Whatever happens, the 2018 World Cup mustn’t end with VAR itself as the primary talking point.
