Imminent- game changer gets green light for SPFL

VAR is about to be introduced to the SPFL with the Daily Express claiming that its introduction is imminent.

Scotland is one of the few UEFA countries that has no VAR in operation despite the system in place at Hampden during the 2021 European Championships and being used at Celtic Park and Ibrox for European matches.

After getting agreement from clubs to finance the systems the SFA targetted the fixtures in December after the World Cup break to be the first with VAR checking decisions.

Trials have been held since the start of the season but the SFA have been keeping it low key with no details announced about their VAR trained specialists.

Today The Express announced:

VAR is arriving in Scotland in a matter of weeks as the new technology is being brought into the SPFL Premiership sooner than expected.

Two former top grade one referees have revealed that it’s virtually been signed off by all of the necessary parties after weeks of live trialling and practising to the extend that the system is ready to go.

It had been widely expected that VAR would not start in Scotland until after the World Cup at the end of December. However, after working intensely behind the scenes all seems to be in order for Scotland to join the rest of Europe and it will clearly have a major effect on matches.

Steve Conroy told the Get Involved Referee podcast: “The word is that it is imminent. It has been trialled all season and by all accounts they are good to go. The latest fitness test for refs was on Sunday and there were meetings after that – so it might be more imminent than we think.

VAR was first used at the 2018 World Cup Finals in Russia and was instantly installed in the EPL, although far from perfect it is generally acknowledged to have increased the accuracy of decision making.