Video Assistant Referees (VAR) with new tools to assist real referees at EURO 2024!
Video Assistant Referees (VAR) are back for EURO 2024, and this year they’re getting a major tech upgrade to assist referees in making those crucial on-field decisions.
Who are the VAR referees and how many are there?
Each match will have one VAR referee and two assistant VAR referees, plus three video operators. There will be 20 referees from 12 different countries in total. This includes Premier League referees Stuart Attwell and David Coote, as well as referees who have worked in major finals: Italy’s Massimiliano Irrati (2018 World Cup final), Germany’s Bastian Dankert (UEFA EURO 2020 final), and Poland’s Tomasz Kwiatkowski (2022 World Cup final).
Where will VAR be operating from?
VAR officials will be based in Leipzig at the tournament’s broadcast compound. This location called the Football Technologies Hub (FTECH), will also include goal-line technology, semi-automated offside, and sensors connected to the ball.
What will VAR be looking at?
During matches, VAR will closely watch four main things: goals, incidents in the penalty area, red card offenses, and cases of mistaken identity. VAR will also check for fouls leading up to a goal.
The new technology – connected ball
For the first time, the official Adidas ball (Fussballiebe) will have “connected ball technology.” This means the ball sends data to VAR officials instantly to help with offside decisions. It will also help VAR with handball and penalty decisions.
The Bottom Line
Semi-automated offside technology will speed up the time it takes to decide offside calls from the VAR booth. This technology uses 10 special cameras to track 29 points on each player’s body. It was used in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. Goal-line technology uses seven cameras for each goal. Referees are alerted through a vibrating watch, a method that is commonly used in both club and international football.
