Video Assistant Referee To Be Used In England-France Friendly

The use of a video assistant referee will be employed for the first time in the friendly between England and France on Tuesday. The VAR experiment is being trialled by FIFA at selected matches and events, with wider implementation and a role in the 2018 World Cup to follow, but is not currently mandatory.

Both associations have to agree to its use under current rules and the Football Association was happy to give its assent. France have already played with VAR conditions, with decisions going against them twice during their 2-0 friendly defeat by Spain in March. They will be based in a video operation room which can be, but does not have to be, inside the stadium.

They VARs will be on hand to review and advise on four distinct issues: goals where there may have been a violation or offside missed during the build-up, penalty decisions, red cards and cases of mistaken identity.

The VAR trial was agreed at the meeting of the International Football Association Board meeting in Cardiff last June.