Managers can request reviews of controversial Copa Paulista incidents | OneFootball

In a pioneering move, the semifinals of the 2025 Copa Paulista will feature the “Video Challenge,” announced the Federação Paulista de Futebol (FPF) this Monday. The Football Video Support (FVS), an unprecedented tool in Brazil, operates differently from the traditional VAR.

In the new system, coaches can request reviews of plays in cases of goals, penalties, red cards, or cards given to the wrong player. To request the Video Challenge, coaches must make a gesture by twirling their finger in the air and hand a card to the fourth official. The main referee then watches the play with the support of a replay operator on the sideline.

As with VAR, the final decision is up to the on-field referee, who can maintain or change the original call. Each team is entitled to two requests per match, and if the review confirms the coach’s claim, the request is not lost.

“It is part of the DNA of São Paulo football not only to follow global trends but also to help write them. With the support of CBF and FIFA, we are now taking another step with Video Support debuting in Brazil, a tool that once again puts São Paulo at the forefront of technology and in tune with the best practices of world football,” said Reinaldo Carneiro Bastos, president of the FPF.

The new system does not involve video referees. The tool consists of a booth on the sideline and a replay operator. The only plays that are automatically reviewed by the fourth official, without a coach’s request, are goals or penalty shootouts to decide the winner of a match.

While VAR requires video referees and multiple cameras, FVS was designed for simpler contexts. The idea behind the tool is to democratize the use of technology, allowing smaller tournaments to also use reviews for decisive plays.

Copa Paulista Schedule

XV de Piracicaba vs. Comercial:

First leg: September 19, at 8:00 PM (Brasília time), in Ribeirão Preto Second leg: September 27, at 6:00 PM, in Piracicaba

Primavera vs. Grêmio Prudente

First leg: September 20, at 5:00 PM, in Presidente Prudente Second leg: September 28, at 3:00 PM, in Campinas

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.