Today, Major League Soccer. Tomorrow, the world.
Despite purists who believe the beautiful game should never be sullied by video replay, it has arrived and isn’t going anywhere. Major League Soccer will start using it for every match, even the postseason, starting Saturday.
The Video Assistant Referee, VAR for short, was showcased on an international level during this summer’s Confederations Cup in Russia and the Under-20 World Cup in South Korea, with mixed results.
But MLS has been preparing for this moment for three years, determined to get it right.
“The idea is minimum interference for maximum benefit,” said veteran referee Howard Webb, who is overseeing the league’s implementation of video replay. “We’re not trying to change the way the game is played. We’re trying to enhance it. We’re trying to make it fairer. We’re trying to make sure the outcomes are right.”