Major VAR rule change for this season’s FA Cup announced that affects every club
The FA Cup will see VAR introduced from the Fifth Round and will be at EVERY match. Previously, VAR has only been in use at Premier League grounds where the technology is already equipped. The FA have announced the VAR rule changeGetty From the 2024/25 season, though, there has been a major change to allow for a more consistent approach. The FA say that it will be used at every game from the Fifth Round onwards. An FA statement read: “Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will only be used in the 2024-25 FA Cup from the Fifth Round onwards. “It has been agreed that VAR will be utilised for every match in the Fifth Round of the competition through to the Final at Wembley Stadium, and will not be in operation for the Third and Fourth Rounds. “VAR has only been used in the Emirates FA Cup previously for matches at Wembley Stadium and at Premier League grounds due to the infrastructure, workforce and costs that are required for its operation. “This decision ensures that there is a consistent refereeing approach for all clubs taking part in the same stage of the competition.” VAR has been used in the FA Cup since 2018 at Premier League grounds and Wembley. The change will see a host of clubs using the technology for the very first time. Amongst them are non-league outfit Tamworth, who are in the Third Round for the first time since 2012. The Lambs host Tottenham at their 4,963-capacity Lamb Ground next month. VAR has been used in the FA Cup since 2018Getty Clubs remaining in 2024/25 FA Cup Premier League: Arsenal Aston Villa Bournemouth Brentford Brighton Chelsea Crystal Palace Everton Fulham Ipswich Leicester Liverpool Manchester City Manchester United Newcastle Nottingham Forest Southampton Tottenham West Ham Wolves Championship: Blackburn Bristol City Burnley Cardiff Coventry Derby Hull Leeds Luton Middlesbrough Millwall Norwich Oxford Plymouth Portsmouth Preston QPR Sheffield United Sheffield Wednesday Stoke Sunderland Swansea Watford West Brom League One: Birmingham Bristol Rovers Charlton Exeter Leyton Orient Lincoln Mansfield Peterborough Reading Stockport Wigan Wycombe League Two: Accrington Bromley Doncaster Harrogate Morecambe Salford National League: Dagenham & Redbridge Tamworth Tamworth are the lowest ranked team left in the competition and one of two National League sides remaining. Several clubs across the Championship, League One and League Two will also have VAR in use for the first time. The Third Round marks the entrance of clubs from the top two divisions into the tournament. Meanwhile, they join 20 clubs to have come through the First and Second Round.
The FA Cup will see VAR introduced from the Fifth Round and will be at EVERY match.
Previously, VAR has only been in use at Premier League grounds where the technology is already equipped.
From the 2024/25 season, though, there has been a major change to allow for a more consistent approach.
The FA say that it will be used at every game from the Fifth Round onwards.
An FA statement read: “Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will only be used in the 2024-25 FA Cup from the Fifth Round onwards.
“It has been agreed that VAR will be utilised for every match in the Fifth Round of the competition through to the Final at Wembley Stadium, and will not be in operation for the Third and Fourth Rounds.
“VAR has only been used in the Emirates FA Cup previously for matches at Wembley Stadium and at Premier League grounds due to the infrastructure, workforce and costs that are required for its operation.
“This decision ensures that there is a consistent refereeing approach for all clubs taking part in the same stage of the competition.”
VAR has been used in the FA Cup since 2018 at Premier League grounds and Wembley.
The change will see a host of clubs using the technology for the very first time.
Amongst them are non-league outfit Tamworth, who are in the Third Round for the first time since 2012.
The Lambs host Tottenham at their 4,963-capacity Lamb Ground next month.
Clubs remaining in 2024/25 FA Cup
Premier League:
- Arsenal
- Aston Villa
- Bournemouth
- Brentford
- Brighton
- Chelsea
- Crystal Palace
- Everton
- Fulham
- Ipswich
- Leicester
- Liverpool
- Manchester City
- Manchester United
- Newcastle
- Nottingham Forest
- Southampton
- Tottenham
- West Ham
- Wolves
Championship:
- Blackburn
- Bristol City
- Burnley
- Cardiff
- Coventry
- Derby
- Hull
- Leeds
- Luton
- Middlesbrough
- Millwall
- Norwich
- Oxford
- Plymouth
- Portsmouth
- Preston
- QPR
- Sheffield United
- Sheffield Wednesday
- Stoke
- Sunderland
- Swansea
- Watford
- West Brom
League One:
- Birmingham
- Bristol Rovers
- Charlton
- Exeter
- Leyton Orient
- Lincoln
- Mansfield
- Peterborough
- Reading
- Stockport
- Wigan
- Wycombe
League Two:
- Accrington
- Bromley
- Doncaster
- Harrogate
- Morecambe
- Salford
National League:
- Dagenham & Redbridge
- Tamworth
Tamworth are the lowest ranked team left in the competition and one of two National League sides remaining.
Several clubs across the Championship, League One and League Two will also have VAR in use for the first time.
The Third Round marks the entrance of clubs from the top two divisions into the tournament.
Meanwhile, they join 20 clubs to have come through the First and Second Round.
