Share

SWC coaches gather in Sochi ahead of VAR decision

Sochi - Football World Cup team coaches gathered on Tuesday in Russia ahead of a crunch decision on wether to introduce the VAR video replay system at this summer's tournament.

The last meeting of the 32 participating nations before the June 14-July 15 global extravaganza comes with debate still raging about the controversial Video Assistant Referee technology.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said on Monday that European football's governing body would not use it in next season's Champions League because "nobody knows exactly how it works yet".

But global body FIFA has been pushing hard for VAR use in game-changing situations such as goals and penalty decision.

"I used to be sceptical about VAR but statistics now show 99 percent perfection," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said earlier this month.

The ruling on whether to use VAR for the first time at a World Cup will be issued on Saturday in Zurich by the International Football Association Board (IFAB).

This means the two-day gathering in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi will leave teams none the wiser about how exactly the World Cup will be refereed.

Several of the big European leagues have started using VAR, to mixed reviews.

Controversies have dogged calls made in England and Italy.

The Sochi gathering is meant to give coaches a rundown about how the World Cup will be organised in Russia.

It represent a logistical challenge for both the hosts and teams because of the great distances they will have to travel between the 11 host cities.

Another worry is that some of the stadiums have still not been completed.

"We don't want surprises," Iran's Portugese coach Carlos Queiroz told AFP before the start of the meeting. "We don't like surprises."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2246 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE