4 January 2025

Referees will make on-field announcements about the results of VAR reviews in next month's Carabao Cup semi-final, a first in English football.

Decisions reviewed by the referee on the pitch-side screen, or factual matters such as accidental handball by the scorer or offside rulings, will be announced to the public to aid clarity and understanding.

In-field advertising is common in the NFL and rugby union but has never been used in English football before. The system was trialled during the Women's World Cup last year in Australia and New Zealand.

“The new pilot forms part of PGMOL’s wider commitment to transparency and embracing technological advances for the benefit of match officials and fans,” the Premier League statement said.

“This latest pilot program has the support of the EFL and follows a previous collaboration with PGMOL in 2018 to trial VAR technology in Premier League competitions ahead of its introduction in the Premier League.”

Arsenal will face Newcastle in two home and away matches in the first semi-final, with the first leg to be held on January 7. Tottenham will play Liverpool in the other semi-final, with the first leg against Tottenham taking place on January 8.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *