The World Cup is here and video Assistant Referees will be new addition at this year’s event.

Video assistant referees will help referees in matches look for clear and obvious errors in four game-changing scenarios: goals, penalty decisions, red card incidents and mistaken identity. 

VARs can help decide if a goal should not be awarded. They make sure no mistakes were made with either the award or non-award of a penalty kick or the sending off or not sending off a player in a red card incident. VARs can also help inform the referee which player to send off during a case of mistaken identity.

Referees have the final say in all decisions made. They can request a review, and the VAR can also suggest a review to the referee. VARs watch matches in remote locations and are mic’d up to the referees on the field. They help ensure no errors were made by the referees.

The use of VRA in the World Cup was approved in March by the International Football Association Board after two years of testing in 972 matches across more than 20 leagues.

This is the first time video replays will be used in the World Cup. Goal line technology was added in 2014 at the World Cup in Brazil.