By Martin Graham
Football and rugby union both rely on video technology to assist with major, disputed moments during matches. In football, that role belongs to the video assistant referee (VAR), while rugby union uses a television match official (TMO).
Rugby’s adoption of video review stretches back to the 1990s, well before football embraced similar tools. Given the intensity of 30 players contesting possession in tight spaces and the difficulty for referees to maintain clear sightlines, the sport was an early mover in this area.
At first, TMOs were tasked only with judging tight decisions over whether a try had been grounded. A notable example came in the 2007 Rugby World Cup final, when Mark Cueto’s effort for England against South Africa was disallowed after review.
Over time, the TMO’s responsibilities broadened to include foul play and goal-kicking checks. With authorities focusing heavily on reducing high tackles, exchanges between on-field officials and video colleagues have become lengthier and more common.
World Rugby has sought to prevent excessive replays by advising referees to confine reviews to the final phases leading up to a try, rather than going back through extended passages. The sport aims to safeguard players while also preserving tempo.
In 2023, a “bunker” approach was introduced. Incidents meeting the threshold for a yellow card can later be escalated to red following video analysis while the player serves time in the sin bin. Although not flawless — South Africa’s November victory over Ireland stretched beyond two hours amid five yellow-card reviews — rugby’s process remains comparatively swift and benefits from live broadcasts of officials’ discussions, offering clarity to viewers.
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In contrast, football was historically reluctant to incorporate technological assistance. Only after Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal against Germany at the 2010 World Cup did FIFA accept the need for goal-line technology.
Sepp Blatter opposed testing broader video systems during his presidency. It was only after his departure in 2015 that VAR trials gained momentum. The Bundesliga and Serie A implemented the system in the 2017-18 campaign, and it was written into the laws of the game ahead of the 2018 World Cup.
Under the current framework, VAR can intervene in four categories: potential red cards, penalty decisions, goals, and cases of mistaken identity. While its application at major international tournaments has generally been viewed positively, domestic competitions have encountered greater challenges.
Maintaining uniformity across an entire league season has proven difficult, and reviews have become increasingly detailed. Lengthy stoppages to analyse incidents have heightened supporter frustration, particularly inside stadiums where information is limited. A central complication remains the subjective nature of many football laws.
Earlier this month, UEFA referees’ chief Roberto Rosetti argued that officials had lost sight of the original purpose of VAR, describing its use as overly “microscopic”.