Video referees to be used at 2018 Russia World Cup

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that video assistant referees (VAR) will be used at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

"We will use video refereeing because we've had nothing but positive feedback so far," Infantino said, BBC Sport reported.

The technology will be will be used only in instances relating to decisions involving goals, penalty kicks, red cards and mistaken identity.

“The role of VARs is to assist the referee to determine whether there was an infringement that means a goal should not be awarded,” FIFA states on its website.
“As the ball has crossed the line, play is interrupted so there is no direct impact on the game.
“The role of the VAR is to ensure that no clearly wrong decisions are made in conjunction with the award or non-award of a penalty kick.
“The role of the VAR is to ensure that no clearly wrong decisions are made in conjunction with sending off or not sending off the player.
“The referee cautions or sends off the wrong player, or is unsure which player should be sanctioned. The VARs will inform the referee so that the correct player can be disciplined.”

Video assistance was introduced for the first time in a FIFA competition at the Club World Cup in Japan in December and the technology has already been trialled in the Austrailian A-League at top-flight level.