VAR ‘transparency’ boost for A-League finals

Fans will be able to hear referees explain decisions that require VAR assistance during the A-League finals series starting on Saturday.

The A-League will become the first national competition in the Asian Football Confederation to use the VAR announcement process, which “aim to enhance transparency into the decision-making process undertaken by the match officials”.

“As the first nation to adopt VAR in a top-tier national competition when we introduced it into the A-League in the 2016-17 season, Football Australia has always led globally in this space,” FA chief executive officer James Johnson said.

“We have continued to advocate globally for more innovation, and this evolution marks a significant step forward in Football Australia’s commitment to enhancing the clarity and the experience for the fans, players, coaches, and match officials.”

The VAR announcement process was successfully used at last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

A-League commissioner Nick Garcia said it was “exciting … to bring fans closer to the game” with the technology.

FA referees’ boss Nathan Magill said match officials had “undergone extensive training” to implement the new system “consistently and effectively”.

“Their training has included developing clear communication skills and consistently applying communication during match scenarios,” Magill said.

Two elimination finals – Saturday night’s battle between Sydney FC and Macarthur FC at Allianz Stadium and Sunday’s derby between Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City at AAMI Park – will be played this weekend.

VAR won’t be in operation in Saturday’s A-League women’s grand final between Melbourne City and Sydney FC, as it hasn’t been used for the entire season of the women’s competition.