EFL drop new VAR update | OneFootball

An update has emerged on whether we will be seeing VAR in the EFL Championship anytime soon

Supporters throughout the Championship have long wondered - and feared, in many cases - if and when VAR will make its way to the division, having first been implemented domestically during the 2019/20 Premier League campaign.

That was the season in which the majority of European leagues decided to adopt further technology to assist match officials, with VAR's first full-scale introduction coming at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

VAR has, of course, seldom been without drawbacks. Critics have raised the question of how much VAR really supports referees and ensures clear, consistent and correct decisions at integral moments and doubt whether it has succeeded in eliminating "clear and obvious errors", while the manner in which it slows down the game and keeps supporters waiting in mystery have also seen it become increasingly unpopular over the years.

Pundits, players, managers and supporters have all sung from the same hymn sheet regarding VAR's flaws, although the technology continues to be in place and, at Premier League level, it's very much there to stay.

There are, mind you, those who support the continuation of VAR too, citing its ability to review key moments and make more informed decisions.

VAR often makes headlines in Premier League matches and will always provide decisive among those in the game. But will it be coming to the Championship soon? An update on that has just emerged...

EFL drop new VAR update as stance of Championship clubs emerges

In a new update, it has transpired that Championship clubs have rejected the opportunity to introduce an implementation of VAR for the 2026/27 campaign.

This implementation would have come in the form of Football Video Support (FVS), which is a variation of VAR that requires fewer resources while affording each manager two reviews per game.

However, as confirmed by the EFL via X on Tuesday evening, a recent consultation with clubs throughout the second-tier found that a "significant majority" were against introducing the FVS system.

A separate report from BBC Sport has revealed that clubs did not favour any implementation of VAR in the Championship, with the concept now being closed for the foreseeable future and remaining unlikely to change.

There have been some exceptions to the rule, though. Earlier this month, Norwich City boss Philippe Clement - formerly of the likes of Club Brugge, Monaco and Rangers - explained how he missed VAR's ability to get the right decisions when his side conceded an early penalty in a 2-0 defeat against East Anglian rivals Ipswich Town.

Gerhard Struber, meanwhile, said that VAR presents the opportunity for better and fairer decisions in January, before being dismissed by Bristol City at the end of March.

Championship clubs have long been spared of VAR's controversy, although certain sides have encountered it when progressing to the FA Cup semi-finals, the second-tier play-off final and, of course, after achieving promotion to the Premier League.

What VFS actually is as Championship clubs reject concept

FVS has been trialed in recent years as a potential alternative to VAR, with the technology intended for use in divisions with fewer cameras and officials.

Indeed, FVS simply consists of a replay operator showcasing camera angles to the referee at the pitchside monitor. It is, however, far from simple in theory, as the fact that each coach is given two challenges per match means that the referee could go to the monitor at least four times during matches.

Considering that one of the chief drawbacks with VAR has been drawn-out stoppages in games, it's perhaps no surprise that so many Championship clubs have opted against this implementation and it's hardly one which would have proved a popular choice with supporters.

FVS is being trialed in various third-tiers - including Italy - along with the top-flight of domestic women's football in Spain and the Canadian Premier League, but it has yielded mixed results and doesn't look likely to be coming to the Championship anytime soon.