The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the agency responsible for preparing the rules of the game, will study introducing possible changes to the protocol of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and the announcement of decisions, as well as the role of captains as the only interlocutors. The IFAB confirmed on Tuesday the agenda of its 139th Annual General Assembly (AGM), which will be held on March 1, 2025, in Belfast (United Kingdom) and will be chaired by the Irish Football Association.
In addition to deciding on change proposals in certain rules, such as incorporating the guideline of “Only the Captain” and the rule regarding the ball on the ground for the goalkeeper, the Assembly will consider the topics arising in the recent Annual Business Meeting (ABM) of the IFAB held in December. The Assembly will also review the advances in the development of Football Video Support (FVS) by FIFA and other ongoing tests, especially those aimed at reducing the loss of time and improving the behavior of participants.
As part of its efforts to improve the game, the IFAB will examine a more affordable alternative to the VAR system. The FVS system, which is a cost-effective alternative to VAR, does not automatically check all doubtful plays during matches, unlike VAR, which relies on specialized video match officials. Instead, the FVS system allows coaches to initiate up to two challenges per match for specific decisions, such as goals, penalties, or red cards. Coaches signal their request for a review by twirling their finger in the air and presenting a review request card to the fourth official.
The FVS system was developed in response to requests from national federations seeking to provide technological support to referees in a more economical way than VAR. This system is designed to make technology more accessible to leagues with limited resources, as it operates with a minimal setup of one to four cameras, compared to the extensive infrastructure required for VAR.
The IFAB will review the progress made on the FVS system and discuss its potential implementation in the future. The system has already been trialed at the U20 and U17 Women’s World Cups, with positive feedback from participating coaches and officials