VAR powers set to expand in the Premier League next season | OneFootball

Football’s lawmakers, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), are poised to introduce a significant rule change that would expand the powers of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) to review second yellow card offences, a move that could address one of the sport’s most contentious grey areas, Sky Sports reports.

At present, VAR officials can only intervene in cases involving straight red cards, goals, penalties, or cases of mistaken identity. This limitation means that a player dismissed for two bookable offences cannot benefit from video review, even if one of the cautions was clearly mistaken. The PGMOL, which oversees refereeing standards in England, has long regarded this as an “anomaly” and has been pressing IFAB to close the loophole.

The change would allow VARs to step in on any incident resulting in a player’s dismissal, ensuring greater fairness and consistency. One high-profile example came in December 2023, when Nottingham Forest’s Willy Boly was wrongly sent off against Bournemouth after a fair challenge, an incident VAR was powerless to correct.

In addition, IFAB is exploring measures to tackle time-wasting during throw-ins and free-kicks, with stricter enforcement and potential technological solutions under review. The proposals, expected to be discussed at IFAB’s annual meeting later this year, could mark one of the most far-reaching updates to football’s officiating framework since VAR’s introduction in 2018.

GFN | Finn Entwistle