A FIFA spokesperson has confirmed that Russia 2018 will be the first ever World Cup to utilise the video assistant referee [VAR].
VAR featured in last summer’s Confederations Cup. It has since been implemented in a number of leagues across Europe this season, including the Bundesliga and the Serie A. It is also being trialled in the English FA Cup and League Cup.
On Monday, the issue was discussed at a meeting of International Football Association Board [IFAB] in Zurich. A final decision is not expected to be made until March. FIFA’s chief commercial officer Philippe Le Floc’h says talks have already begun regarding potential sponsorship deals for the technology.
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“Definitely VAR will happen,” Le Floc’h told Associated Press.
“I think it’s great to have technology in football because this is also a fairness thing.
“We are talking to various technological companies who are very interested with what we are doing on the technology side of things.”
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