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Rabat – The 32 teams that will compete in the 2018 World Cup in Russia will battle for the title with the help of video assistant referees (VAR).
FIFA approved the use of video analysis to help referees review play during the Russia World Cup on Friday.
On March 3, the International Football Association (IFAB) was the first organization to “unanimously approve” the usage of the VAR during the upcoming World Cup in a meeting held in Zurich, Switzerland. FIFA’s recent approval guarantees the use of VAR in the upcoming tournament.
According to IFAB, this move “represents a new era for football with video assistance for referees helping to increase integrity and fairness in the game.”
The technology of VAR was first used during a Confederation of African Football (CAF) competition during the 2018 Total African Nations Championship (CHAN), which took place in Morocco from January 13 to February 4.
VAR was already used in football tournaments in European countries, including the U.K., Germany, and Italy, according to British news outlet BBC.
FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino, who attended the meeting said, “We hope and encourage a favorable decision in this respect because we are very positive about VAR.”
The 2018 World Cup is set to kickoff June 14. This year’s competition is marked by the participation of the Moroccan football team. The Atlas Lions will play their first World Cup match on June 15 against Iran, while the second game will be against Portugal on June 20. Five days later, Morocco will battle against Spain on June 25.
