VAR To Be Used In FA Cup Fifth Round

The Football Association (FA) has announced an important update to the 2024-25 Emirates FA Cup, confirming that Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be used starting from the Fifth Round to ensure uniform refereeing decisions at this stage of the tournament.

In an official statement published on its website on Monday, titled “VAR Introduced for Emirates FA Cup from Fifth Round,” the FA revealed, “VAR will be implemented for every match from the Fifth Round through to the Final at Wembley Stadium.”

The statement also clarified that VAR “will not be utilized during the Third and Fourth Rounds.”

This decision reflects an effort to address historical challenges associated with the use of VAR in the competition.

Previously, VAR was only deployed “for matches at Wembley Stadium and Premier League grounds due to the infrastructure, workforce, and costs that are required for its operation.”

By focusing its implementation from the Fifth Round onwards, the FA aims to strike a balance between accessibility and fairness.

The press release emphasized that this change ensures consistency for all clubs: “This decision ensures that there is a consistent refereeing approach for all clubs taking part in the same stage of the competition.”

As the Emirates FA Cup approaches its pivotal stages, fans and players alike can expect a heightened sense of fairness and precision, with VAR now playing a central role in shaping the competition’s climax.