Jean-Michel Aulas confirms VAR for Arkema Première Ligue from 2026-2027 | OneFootball

Jean-Michel Aulas has confirmed that VAR will be introduced in Arkema Première Ligue from the 2026-2027 season. According to L'Équipe, he made the announcement on Monday on the sidelines of the LFFP awards.

VAR is already in use for the league’s play-offs taking place now. The roll-out will cover the entire 2026-2027 campaign, making it the first women’s league in the world to implement the technology.

The former Olympique Lyonnais president, in charge from 1987 to 2023, presented the plan to federation executives in March, citing gender parity. VAR has been in men’s Ligue 1 since the start of 2018-2019.

He also explained that the project’s annual cost, estimated at between 1 and 1.5 million euros, should be absorbed by higher marketing revenues. The FFF is providing a 13.6 million euro subsidy to the women’s Championship this season.

The projected outlay is lower than in the men’s top flight, where VAR costs 3.7 million euros per year, due to fewer matches. The set-up will mirror Ligue 1, with four cameras available. Financial pressures have led the LFP to abandon plans to introduce VAR in Ligue 2 in 2026-2027.

Source: L'Équipe