VAR trials will be carried out at two Premiership matches this weekend with plans in place to implement the system as early as October.
All SPFL clubs voted to bring in VAR with the original timeline to have the system up and running on December 17 following the World Cup break.
Since the turn of the year the SPFL and SFA have been working on the system that will see cameras in place at 12 Premiership grounds with additional views available at matches covered by Sky Sports.
Since the start of the 2018/19 season VAR has been in place in the EPL, now, as The Sun reports, Scottish football is finally about to get in line:
VAR in the Premiership will come a step closer this weekend — with hush-hush trials of the system in two top-flight matches.
SunSport understands boffins will do offline ‘dry runs’ at Livingston’s game against Rangers on Saturday and St Mirren’s match against Motherwell on Sunday.
The intention is to do full-scale implementation of the proposed set-up in both fixtures — but WITHOUT any decision-making in the VAR HQ by officials.
It’s hoped every Premiership club will have two home games covered in full by VAR to ensure it runs without any glitches. If all goes well in trials, VAR could be fully functioning in Premiership fixtures as early as October.
SunSport exclusively revealed last week how the technology’s implementation was being pulled forward to BEFORE the World Cup break.
VAR was first used at Celtic Park and Ibrox in February 2020 during knock-out matches in the Europa League, afterwards the equipment was removed and packed away. Similarly, it was used at Hampden for four European Championship matches last summer.
Celtic’s Champions League matches, starting in September will be subject to VAR, the SFA have yet to decide if VAR will be in use at any Scottish Cup ties in the season ahead.
Nick Walsh will referee Sunday’s match between Celtic and Aberdeen.
This’ll be good.