English FA proposes ‘Coach’s Challenge’ trial for subjective VAR Decisions

The Football Association (FA) is considering a major change to how VAR works in English football by trialling a “coach’s challenge” system for subjective decisions.

The proposal would allow managers to request a review for certain calls, rather than relying solely on automatic VAR intervention.Under the idea each team would be given a limited number of challenges per match.

However if a a manager believes the referee has made a wrong call such as a foul, penalty, or handball decision they could trigger a VAR review. This means that the successful challenges may be retained, while unsuccessful ones would be lost.

The FA believes this system could help reduce unnecessary stoppages and improve the flow of games. Currently, VAR checks most reviewable incidents automatically, which has sometimes led to lengthy delays and frustration among players, coaches, and fans.

Any trial would need approval from the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body responsible for the Laws of the Game. If approved, the trial could be introduced in selected competitions to assess whether the challenge system improves decision-making without disrupting matches.

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