Video assistant referee facts for kids

Video assistant referee (VAR) is a system that helps referees make better decisions in soccer matches. It helps them check things like fouls, whether a goal was valid, and if a player should get a red card. When a referee wants to review a play, they often make a square shape with their hands, like showing a TV screen.

VAR was first used in a big tournament at the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup. It was then used for international matches in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. The first time VAR was used in the FIFA World Cup was during the 2018 World Cup.

In March 2018, the VAR system became a permanent part of the Laws of the Game. These are the official rules of soccer, set by the International Football Association Board (IFAB).

How VAR Helps Referees

The VAR system helps referees check certain important moments in a game. There are three main types of decisions that can be reviewed:

• Goal or No Goal: This checks if the ball truly crossed the goal line. It also looks for things like if the ball went out of play before the goal, if there was a foul, an offside call, or a handball before the goal was scored.
• Penalty or No Penalty: This checks if a foul happened inside or outside the penalty box, if a player pretended to be fouled (a "dive"), or if there was a handball that should have been a penalty.
• Red or Yellow Card: This helps confirm if a player deserves a red or yellow card for serious actions. This includes violent behavior, hitting, spitting, kicking, or punching another player, coach, or referee. It also helps correct mistakes, like if the wrong player was given a card.

The main referee can review a play in a few ways. They can go to a special screen on the side of the field called the VAR box. They can also listen to advice from the VAR team. The referee can even choose to ignore the VAR's advice if they feel strongly about their original decision. However, the referee can only review a play on the field if the VAR team recommends it. This helps make sure referees don't rely on VAR too much.

Why Some People Criticize VAR

Even though VAR helps make decisions fairer, some people don't like it. The main reasons for criticism are:

• Time Taken: Reviews can take a lot of time, which stops the game and can make it less exciting.
• Too Much Reliance: Some people worry that referees might start relying too much on VAR instead of making their own decisions.
• Confusion: Sometimes, the decisions made by VAR can still seem confusing to fans and players.

For example, soccer manager Mauricio Pochettino once said that VAR "made everyone confused" after an FA Cup match. He also said he felt sorry for the fans and the referee because of the confusion.

Images for kids

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  VAR monitor at the Estadio Monumental David Arellano

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  A VAR decision during an FA Cup match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester.

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  Assistant video assistant referees in action during a Saudi Professional League match

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  Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) being shown a yellow card after a challenge with Iranian player that was reviewed by referee Enrique Cáceres as a potential red card incident

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  VAR in use in the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2019

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  VAR in use at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.

See also

In Spanish: Árbitro asistente de video para niños