Is VAR being used in the FA Cup third round? Well, yes and no
The FA Cup third round will see the introduction of Video Assistant Referee technology to the competition for the first time this season – but only in some ties.
Only games played at Premier League ground will use VAR, due to licensing rules which mean that even at stadiums like West Brom’s Hawthorns, where the technology has previously been implemented, VAR will not be used because West Brom are not currently at Premier League side.
The FA Cup has used VAR since 2018, when it was first deployed in a trial format. But the competition has never applied to the International Football Association Board (Ifab) for full use across the competition, which would be complicated to install at some Football League and non-league grounds.
The FA has been criticised for creating an imbalance in the way the game’s rules are implemented in the competition.
Responding to those complaints last year, the FA said: “Video assistant referees provide match officials with additional support and should be utilised wherever possible. However, only Premier League stadiums are currently licensed to use VAR due to the infrastructure, workforce and costs that are required.”
Full FA Cup third-round draw
1 Luton Town v Bolton Wanderers
2 Shrewsbury Town v Wrexham
4 Stoke City v Brighton & Hove Albion
5 Norwich City v Bristol Rovers
6 West Ham United v Bristol City
8 Fulham v Rotherham United
9 West Bromwich Albion v Aldershot Town
10 Southampton v Walsall
11 AFC Wimbledon v Ipswich Town
12 Peterborough United v Leeds United
13 Millwall v Leicester City
14 Watford v Chesterfield
15 Sunderland v Newcastle United
16 Sheffield Wednesday v Cardiff City
17 Crystal Palace v Everton
18 Middlesbrough v Aston Villa
19 Nottingham Forest v Blackpool
20 Wigan Athletic v Manchester United
21 Manchester City v Huddersfield Town
22 Blackburn Rovers v Cambridge United
23 Gillingham v Sheffield United
24 Swansea City v Morecambe
25 Chelsea v Preston North End
26 Queens Park Rangers v Bournemouth
27 Coventry City v Oxford United
28 Brentford v Wolverhampton Wanderers
29 Plymouth Argyle v Sutton United
30 Maidstone United v Stevenage
31 Newport County v Eastleigh
32 Hull City v Birmingham City
The third-round matches will take place between 5-8 January.
