There’s no worse feeling than seeing your favorite World Cup team face a bad call that sees them lose a match.
While this happens occasionally, the introduction of VAR in football has gone a long way towards curbing errors in football finals.
The 2022 World Cup is scheduled to take place in November. From 20 to 18 December in Qatar, there are 32 teams.
Here’s everything you need to know about VAR in football, when it was introduced and its benefits:
What are VARs?
VAR is video assistant referee.
These qualified officials watch the game on multiple screens and have the option to repeat actions in slow motion to review calls.
With the help of high-tech electronics and screens, referees are more accurate.
How accurate is VAR?
Prior to the introduction of VAR in the Premier League in 2018-19, 82% of key game decisions were correct.
According to a report by the Premier League, with the use of VAR, the correct rate of key game decisions in the 2019-20 season rose to 94%.
The league report says VAR is only used for “clear and obvious errors” or “majorly missed incidents”.
During 2019-20, VAR overturned 109 penalties, an average of one penalty every 3.5 games.
When was VAR introduced?
VAR was first tested in the 2012-13 Dutch league season.
In 2018, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) approved trials and then the use of VAR in football.
In 2018, VAR was introduced in the Premier League for the 2019-20 season, pending testing. The test was subsequently confirmed to be successful and VAR was formally introduced.
In 2020, the IFAB decided to put FIFA in charge of VAR.
When does VAR come into play?
The only time VAR will interfere is when an on-field referee calls for a review of a decision.
In other words, VAR cannot overrule the referee, but can provide advice. VAR will communicate with the on-field referee when required.
How will the 2022 World Cup use VAR?
After the successful use of VAR technology in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, it will be applied again in 2022.
The technology will include 12 tracking cameras playing under the stadium roof that will track the ball and players.
According to FIFA, VAR tracks as many as 29 data points on each player 50 times per second to determine their exact position on the pitch.
Additionally, sensors will be placed in the center of Al Rihla, Qatar’s official soccer ball, to add additional detection. The ball sends data to the video operation room 500 times per second.
While more testing will take place before the 2022 World Cup, the combination of technologies will make the game as accurate as possible.