FIFA Unhappy with VAR Use, Eyes Major Reforms at 2025 Club World Cup
- FIFA plans major VAR overhaul starting with the 2025 Club World Cup to simplify and improve its use
- Officials admit VAR is often re-refereeing games instead of correcting clear errors
- New communication strategies and clearer protocols will aim to restore confidence in the technology
FIFA is preparing to overhaul the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, with sweeping changes set to be trialed at the 2025 Club World Cup.
The revamped FIFA Club World Cup is set to kick off in the summer of 2025, with top clubs like Manchester City, Chelsea, and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami among the headline participants.
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This expanded version of the tournament will now feature 32 teams and be held every four years, replacing the previous annual format that included only seven teams from across the globe.
Scheduled to run for 29 days, the tournament begins on June 15 and concludes with the final on July 13, 2025.
FIFA is also preparing to introduce significant changes to the use of VAR during the competition, aiming to restore clarity and reduce controversy in officiating decisions.
FIFA to overhaul VAR system
The global football governing body is reportedly frustrated with how VAR is being applied across leagues, particularly its tendency to re-referee matches instead of simply correcting clear and obvious errors.
The newly expanded Club World Cup will serve as the testing ground for these reforms.
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FIFA president Gianni Infantino and refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina believe the current implementation of VAR is too intrusive and confusing, detracting from the flow of the game.
They argue that VAR was introduced to clarify decisions—not complicate them.
David Elleray, head of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), admitted:
“VAR is the most significant change in football in over a century, but its benefits haven’t been clearly communicated,” said David Elleray, head of the IFAB. “We focused so much on the technical side that we lost sight of explaining what VAR is truly for.”
The coming changes are aimed at making VAR more transparent, less invasive, and ultimately more supportive of fair and fluid play.
What is the prize money for the 2025 Club World Cup?
The winners of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will take home up to £97 million ($125 million), as part of a record-breaking prize pot, per Sky Sports.
In total, £774 million ($1 billion) will be distributed among the 32 participating clubs. Of that, £406 million ($525 million) will be paid as a participation fee, with the amount each club receives determined by both sporting merit and commercial factors.
An additional £368 million ($475 million) will be awarded based on each club’s performance throughout the tournament.
FIFA has announced that it will retain no revenue from the competition and plans to distribute another £200 million ($250 million) globally as solidarity payments to clubs around the world.
FIFA to debut body cameras for referees
FIFA has confirmed its lineup of 117 match officials for the first-ever expanded Club World Cup, scheduled to run from June 14 to July 13 across 12 stadiums in 11 U.S. cities.
In a groundbreaking move, referees will wear body cameras during matches—part of a sweeping set of innovations, including stricter rules to curb goalkeeper time-wasting.
The FIFA Referees Committee selected officials from 41 member associations, comprising 35 referees, 58 assistant referees, and 24 video match officials, as the 32-team tournament prepares to set a new benchmark in global club football.
Hudson-Odoi reacts after decisive goal vs City
YEN.com.gh also reported that Callum Hudson-Odoi took to social media to channel his emotions after scoring the decisive goal as Nottingham Forest stunned Manchester City.
His response after delivering the match-winning strike was a mix of passion and quiet confidence.
Source: YEN.com.gh
