This should have happened a long time ago.
It was confirmed on Saturday that FIFA had approved the use of VAR at this summer’s World Cup, but another nugget of news went slightly more under the radar.
Perhaps that’s understandable, given the current hullabaloo around VAR, but it’s an important piece of news nonetheless.
The International Board approved the option of a fourth substitute for teams when matches go into extra-time. It’s been trialled in various tournaments over the last three years and it just makes perfect sense.
Given that the vast majority of managers use all three of their substitutions during the regulation 90 minutes, it has historically led to extra-time being a bland, tired 30 minutes of football.
IFAB also approved the use of a fourth substitute in extra-time. Could be in at the World Cup.
— Ben Rumsby (@ben_rumsby) March 3, 2018
The option of being able to introduce a fresh pair of legs during extra-time, however, will come in very handy though.
While a fourth substitute will be universally welcomed, the issue of VAR is more contentious. As a concept, it’s highly innovative. However, the application of VAR has come under heavy criticism in recent months after being introduced to English football in the FA Cup.
However, the governing body hailed the decision to approve VAR for the World Cup in Russia as a ‘new era’ for football.
“The International Football Association Board (The IFAB) unanimously approved the use of video assistant referees (VARs) at its 132nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) that took place at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich today,” a statement said.
“This landmark meeting, chaired by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, represents a new era for football with video assistance for referees helping to increase integrity and fairness in the game.
“Prior to taking its decision, the members of The IFAB (the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as FIFA, representing all other national football associations) were presented with the results of the independent analysis of the use of VARs conducted by Belgian university KU Leuven since the beginning of the VAR experiment in March 2016.
“The philosophy of VARs is ‘minimum interference – maximum benefit’ which aims to reduce unfairness caused by ‘clear and obvious errors’ or ‘serious missed incidents’ in relation to:
1. Goal / no goal
2. Penalty / no penalty
3. Direct red card (not 2nd yellow card/caution)
4. Mistaken identity (when the referee cautions or sends off the wrong player of the offending team)”
