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For the first time in English football, referees will announce VAR decisions to fans inside stadiums during the upcoming Carabao Cup semi-finals. This trial will see referees announce to fans their final decisions after reviewing the VAR monitor or when rulings are based on factual matters like accidental handball by a goalscorer or offside, similar to announcements common in sports like rugby union and American football. The system was previously tested at the 2023 Women's World Cup.
The Premier League said in a meeting last summer that in-game VAR announcements would be put in place at some point this season.
Both legs in each of the cup semi-finals - Arsenal v Newcastle and Tottenham v Liverpool - will be included in the trial. The first legs in the EFL-run competition will be played on 7 and 8 January 2025, with the return fixtures on 5 and 6 February.
Refereeing authority PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) says the move is part of its "commitment to transparency" and hopes it will provide greater clarity and understanding around key decisions.
Referees have been preparing for the in-stadium announcements at training camps and have practised at stadiums already. The officials for the matches will be announced on Tuesday.
The Premier League Match Centre account on X has posted "near-live" explanations of VAR decisions this season, but this will be the first time spoken announcements have been given to crowds, if there are any such calls to make.
The EFL said in a statement: "The new pilot embraces technological advancements for the benefit of match officials and fans.
"This latest pilot has the support of the EFL and follows earlier collaboration with PGMOL in 2018 to trial VAR in EFL competitions ahead of its introduction in the Premier League."
There will be no real-time cricket-style audio of discussions taking place in the VAR booth. There will be no explanations of what was in the referee's mind when he made a decision, and what was in the VAR's when they requested a review.
