Arsenal and Newcastle set for VAR announcement trial in Carabao Cup | OneFootball

English football is set to trial in-stadium VAR announcements for the first time during the Carabao Cup semi-finals next week.

The move will see referees use the public address system to announce their final decisions, whether made at the pitchside VAR monitor or based on factual determinations, such as handball by a goalscorer or offside infractions where an attacker has touched the ball.

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The EFL confirmed that this pilot will run across both legs of the ties between Arsenal and Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool. Referees have reportedly undergone extensive preparation, including specialised training camps and match-related exercises in club stadiums, to ensure the successful implementation of this significant change.

An EFL spokesperson described the move as part of a broader commitment to improving transparency. “The trial, which forms part of our broader commitment to transparency, including providing greater clarity and understanding around key decisions, will run over both legs of the Arsenal v Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool ties,” they said.

This step marks a significant milestone for English football, as no domestic competition has previously used in-stadium announcements for VAR decisions. The most prominent recent example of this approach was seen at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, where referees communicated decisions to fans in real-time.

Both Arsenal and Newcastle will feature in this trial, with the first leg of their semi-final set for 7 January. The Tottenham v Liverpool semi-final begins on 8 January. VAR has been used in the Carabao Cup semi-finals in past seasons but was notably absent last year when one of the final four teams, Middlesbrough, did not have VAR installed at their home ground.

The Gunners have consistently played a central role in footballing firsts, including the first English league match to be broadcast live on radio in 1927, the world’s first televised football match in 1937, and the first live 3D sports broadcast in 2010.

Whether this VAR announcement pilot becomes a permanent fixture in English football remains to be seen, but it promises to bring greater clarity to what has been a frustrating and secretive decision-making process.