New FIFA System Could Allow Coaches to Challenge Refereeing Decisions, per Report

The IFAB has yet to approve further testing and the expansion of Football Video Support (FVS).

Football Video Support (FVS) could be coming to soccer leagues across the globe. / IMAGO/NurPhoto

FIFA might be introducing a new system that gives coaches the power to directly challenge a referee's decision, per L’Équipe.

Much like in basketball and football, Football Video Support (FVS) would allow a head coach to "challenge" a possibly incorrect call made by a match official. According to the French outlet, coaches could demand at least two reviews per match.

FVS was already approved by the IFAB in March and tested at the U-17 and U-20 Women's World Cups. Now, in order to further develop the system and get one step closer to implementing it in more soccer matches, the IFAB must approve the expansion of the project.

Pierluigi Colina, Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, warned, "It is however essential to understand that the FVS is not the VAR. Because of the small number of cameras used, the FVS will not be able to show what the VAR can show."

Despite FVS's shortcomings in comparison to VAR, the system would give coaches unprecedented power to potentially influence on-field decisions that impact the overall outcome of a match. Plus, FVS could serve as a failsafe should VAR deem something unworthy of review, like Marc Cucurella's handball against Germany in the Euro 2024 semifinals.

VAR even came under fire as recently as Nov. 10 when it deemed Robert Lewandowski offsides against Real Sociedad, taking away Barcelona's only goal of the match. The decision contrasted images that appeared to show the striker's foot behind Nayef Aguerd's foot.

There is still a long way to go, though, before coaches like Hansi Flick could have the opportunity to call on FVS to reverse possibly incorrect decisions. The future of FVS is in the hands of the IFAB.

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