Part 1 · The game · Lesson 3 of 8
What is VAR in football? How video review works
VAR (Video Assistant Referee) is a team of match officials who watch replays and tell the referee when they see a clear and obvious error or a serious missed incident in a few match-changing situations: goals, penalties, direct red cards and mistaken identity. Since 2026/27 it can also check a red card from a clearly wrong second yellow. The referee on the pitch always makes the final decision.
In this guide
What VAR can review
VAR is only allowed to intervene in a short list of situations, set by the IFAB in the Laws of the Game and the VAR protocol:
| Situation | What VAR checks | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Goal / no goal | Offences by the attacking team in the build-up (foul, handball, offside), ball out of play, ball over the line | A goal after the ball had gone out for a goal kick |
| Penalty / no penalty | Whether there was a foul or handball, and whether it was inside or outside the area | A trip just outside the box given as a penalty |
| Direct red card | Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, serious foul play, violent conduct, biting, spitting | A dangerous tackle the referee didn't see clearly |
| Mistaken identity | The wrong player was cautioned or sent off | A card shown to the wrong teammate |
| Second yellow (since 2026/27) | A red card resulting from a clearly incorrect second yellow | A second yellow given for a fair challenge |
VAR can't review a first yellow card, a normal free kick in midfield, a throw-in or most corners. As a competition option from 2026/27, VAR may also correct a clearly wrongly awarded corner kick, but only if the check can be done immediately without delaying the restart.
The "clear and obvious error" test
VAR is not there to re-referee the match. The question isn't "what would the VAR have given?" but "was the referee's decision clearly wrong?" If the incident is open to interpretation, such as a contact that some referees would call a foul and others wouldn't, the on-field decision should stand.
Factual decisions are different. Whether the ball crossed the line, whether a foul was inside or outside the area, and offside positions are facts, so VAR can correct them even by a small margin.
How a VAR check works, step by step
- The check. The VAR team reviews every goal, penalty decision and red card incident automatically, usually while play continues. Most checks take seconds and nobody notices them.
- The recommendation. If the VAR sees a clear error, they tell the referee through the headset.
- The decision. For factual decisions (offside, ball out of play, position of a foul), the referee usually accepts the VAR's information directly. For subjective decisions (was it a foul, was it serious foul play?), the referee goes to the monitor for an on-field review.
- The signal. The referee draws a rectangle (a TV screen) with their hands to show a decision has been reviewed, then gives the final decision.
In many competitions the referee now announces the outcome of an on-field review to the stadium and TV audience.
On-field reviews (OFR)
An on-field review means the referee watches replays on a pitch-side monitor before changing a subjective decision. The VAR chooses the angles and speeds; the referee decides. A referee can keep the original call after an OFR, though that's rare in practice.
The point of the OFR is accountability: the referee, not someone in a video room, takes responsibility for the decision that changes the match.
Semi-automated offside technology
Offside is the decision that slowed VAR the most, because officials had to draw lines by hand. Semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) uses dedicated cameras that track players' limb positions and a sensor or tracking data for the moment the ball is played. The system alerts the VAR when an attacker is in an offside position and builds the line and a 3D graphic within seconds.
After trials at earlier FIFA tournaments, it was used at the 2022 World Cup, and it has been used in the Champions League since 2022/23. The Premier League introduced it in April 2025. A human still confirms the decision, including whether the player was actually involved in play (see the offside rule).
Why VAR adds stoppage time
Time spent on VAR checks and on-field reviews is added back as stoppage time. That's one reason matches now regularly run 8–12 minutes beyond 90; see how long is a football match.
Common VAR misconceptions
- "VAR can give a yellow card." It can't review first yellows at all, and from 2026/27 it can only step in on a second yellow if it led to a clearly wrong red card.
- "Any foul in the build-up cancels a goal." Only offences in the attacking phase that led to the goal can be checked. VAR can't go back through several phases of play.
- "The VAR makes the decision." The referee makes every decision. VAR only advises.
- "VAR has to be certain." For subjective calls the bar is "clear and obvious"; if it's debatable, the original decision stands.
What VAR means for betting
All bets are settled on the official result, after VAR. A goal disallowed after a check never happened for settlement, even if it was briefly on the scoreboard. A penalty that's overturned is just a free kick or nothing. In live betting, markets are usually suspended during a VAR check and reopen once the decision is made; see live betting.
Disallowed goals matter for goals markets too: a 2-1 that becomes 1-1 after VAR changes over/under goals and BTTS results. You can follow match events and decisions on our live scores and look at team numbers on the stats page.
Frequently asked questions
What does VAR stand for?
VAR stands for Video Assistant Referee. It's a match official, with assistants, who reviews replays and advises the referee on clear and obvious errors in a limited set of match-changing situations.
What can VAR overturn?
Goals and the offences leading to them, penalty decisions, direct red cards and cases of mistaken identity. Since 2026/27 it can also review a red card that came from a clearly wrong second yellow and, where the competition allows, a clearly wrong corner kick.
Can VAR check offside?
Yes. Offside is a factual decision, so VAR can correct it by any margin on goals and penalty incidents. Many competitions use semi-automated offside technology to make the check faster.
Why does the referee go to the monitor?
For subjective decisions, such as whether contact was a foul, the referee watches the replay at the pitch-side monitor before deciding. This is called an on-field review. Factual decisions like offside usually don't need one.
Do bets count a goal that VAR disallowed?
No. Bets are settled on the official result after any VAR review. A disallowed goal counts for nothing, even if it appeared on the scoreboard briefly.
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