VAR has never been without its fair share of controversy, with the technology to always have its fair share of critics and criticisms.
And so will VAR be used at the Euro 2020 tournament this summer? Goal takes a look.
Will there be VAR at Euro 2020?
Yes, VAR will be used at Euro 2020.
UEFA have appointed 22 video match officials for VAR responsibilities at the European Championships, with the entire VAR team to be based at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
All 51 Euro 2020 matches will have VAR, along with an assistant video assistant referee (VAR) as well as an offside video assistant referee.
Alongside 18 referee teams, 22 video match officials have been appointed for VAR duties at the EURO, and the entire VAR team will be based at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Two rooms have been set up on UEFA’s campus, and the VAR teams have already been given comprehensive briefings on the operation in workshops ahead of the tournament.
“We are very comfortable with the centralised set-up in Nyon, and all of our tests have been very positive,” said Roberto Rosetti, chairman of UEFA’s Referees Committee.
“We’re confident that the VAR system will be of great benefit at Euro 2020 – and we believe that our VARs are the best in the world. The aim is that the VARs are careful, clear and show consistency and uniformity in their interventions.”
Rosetti continued: “UEFA believes very much in this project. The aim is to not only to help referees, but to help football. We are very satisfied with the results, and we are working hard to improve the system.”
Why wasn't VAR used at Euro 2020 qualifying?
As such, it was agreed that VAR would not be used in the entirety of the qualification stages as a fairer means.
The lack of VAR and goal-line technology caused for controversy during the qualifiers, most notably when the goal that Cristiano Ronaldo scored for Portugal was wrongly disallowed in stoppage time.
"The referee apologised and I have great respect for him, but it is not permissible that, in a competition like this, there is no VAR or goal-line technology," Portugal coach Fernando Santos told A Bola following the draw against Serbia.