How VAR works in football
VAR, the video assistant referee, is one of the most discussed parts of modern football. It is meant to help referees get big decisions right, but it also causes delays and arguments. This guide explains what VAR does, what it is allowed to check and why a goal can be cancelled a minute after it was celebrated.
What VAR is
VAR is a team of match officials who watch the game on video in a room, often away from the stadium, with access to several camera angles. The video assistant referee tells the referee on the pitch when a clear mistake may have been made. The referee on the pitch remains the decision-maker.
What VAR can check
VAR can only review four types of decision: goals, penalty decisions, direct red cards, and cases of mistaken identity when the wrong player is punished. It cannot review everything. For example, throw-ins, corners, free kicks and yellow cards are not reviewed.
For goals, the video referee checks whether there was an offence in the attacking move that led to the goal, such as offside, a foul or a handball, before the goal was scored.
The standard: clear and obvious errors
VAR is supposed to change a decision only when there was a clear and obvious error. If the referee's decision was reasonable and a matter of opinion, it normally stands. This is why you may see a decision that looks wrong on replay stay in place.
The review process
There are two ways a review can happen. First, the VAR may tell the referee about a possible mistake. Second, the referee may decide to look at the pitchside monitor, called an on-field review. The referee then watches the replay and makes a final decision.
For factual decisions, such as whether a player was offside, the video referee can give the answer without the referee going to the screen. For subjective decisions, such as whether a challenge was a foul, the referee usually goes to the screen.
During a check, you may see the referee draw a rectangle in the air with their fingers, which is the signal for a video review.
Why it takes so long
A review involves the video team finding the right angles, drawing lines for offside, and talking with the referee. A tight offside can take a couple of minutes. Some competitions use semi-automated offside technology, which speeds up that part.
Why goals can disappear
Many data providers show a goal as soon as the ball crosses the line. If VAR then cancels the goal, the provider removes it. This is why a score on ScoreHub can show 1-0 and then go back to 0-0. It is not a mistake; it is the system correcting itself.
What VAR cannot do
VAR does not remove the human element. Referees still make judgments, and there is still room for disagreement on handballs, fouls and the threshold for a penalty. It also cannot change a decision after play has restarted, except for cases of mistaken identity or serious misconduct that the referee missed.
VAR in Africa
VAR is used in many top-level competitions, including the later stages of AFCON and the CAF club competitions. Not every domestic league has it, and not every match has full coverage, so a league with no VAR relies entirely on the match officials.
Watching for a review
If a goal is scored and the players are waiting, a review may be in progress. Check the summary tab on the match page, where VAR events are listed as they happen.