FIFA To Introduce Live VAR Announcements At Women’s World Cup (thewillnews.com)

July 06, (THEWILL) – FIFA has announced that referees at the upcoming Women’s World Cup will make live announcements of VAR decisions during matches, marking a significant step towards transparency in the game.

This will be the first time such in-game announcements will be made at a senior World Cup tournament for men or women. Previously tested at the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco and the Under-20 World Cup in Argentina, this rollout represents FIFA’s largest implementation of the system. The move aims to enhance the clarity of decision-making by allowing spectators and viewers to hear the match official’s VAR verdict in real-time.

The introduction of VAR at the Women’s World Cup in 2019 was met with mixed reactions. Lengthy reviews and uncertainties surrounding penalty kicks resulted in a less-than-smooth execution. However, FIFA made adjustments during the tournament, leading to improvements in the process during the knockout stages. The upcoming tournament is expected to feature similar elements to what was witnessed in the previous edition, including extended stoppage time that accommodates substitutions, celebrations, and time-wasting tactics.

The addition of live, in-game VAR announcements, akin to those seen in the NFL, represents a crucial advancement towards transparency in football decision-making. While the implementation of live VAR announcements may not eliminate dissenting opinions from fans, it represents a significant stride in making decisions more transparent. FIFA’s decision to broadcast VAR explanations to the crowd and television during its tournaments in the next 12 months demonstrates the governing body’s commitment to increasing transparency.

By enabling spectators to hear VAR decisions directly from match officials, the process becomes more accessible and comprehensible, adding to the overall transparency and understanding of key moments in the game.