The FA Cup Third Round Will Not Use VAR In Any Match

JAKARTA - The FA Cup Third Round will begin on Friday, January 10, 2025, early morning WIB. However, VAR will not be used in any matches.

VAR was introduced to the FA Cup in the 2017/2018 season which started in the Third Round, but only in matches when the Premier League club played at home or in the final at Wembley Stadium.

This cannot be separated from the infrastructure, labor, and costs needed for its operation. In other words, only the Premier League club is able to meet these needs.

Over the next seven seasons, the tournament effectively has a more approximating approach.

In the 2023/2024 season, VAR is only used in 10 of the 32 Third Round matches, and seven of the 16 matches in the Fourth Round.

The English Football Association (FA) has now made important changes ensuring a consistent referee's approach to all clubs taking part in the same stage of competition.

There will be no VAR in any matches in the Third and Fourth Rounds. However, all matches will use VAR from the Fifth Round onwards, regardless of where matches are played, to the finals at Wembley Stadium.