Introducing Football Video Support (FVS): A Cost-Effective Alternative to VAR at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup
The 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile is set to kick off this weekend, featuring a new video review system called Football Video Support (FVS) instead of Video Assistant Referee (VAR). FVS is designed to be more accessible and cost-effective for competitions with limited resources. This alternative system allows team managers to request reviews during the match, similar to the process in U.S. sports like the NFL and NBA. Managers can request two reviews per match, and if successful, they retain their reviews for future use. FVS requires only three pitch-side cameras to operate, but this may result in inconclusive replays and no change in the referee's decision. In contrast, VAR requires at least four fully operational cameras for improved review quality. Additionally, the fourth official will review replays after every goal to ensure no illegal actions occurred during the goal build-up. The introduction of FVS at the U-20 World Cup aims to provide a more accessible video review system for competitions worldwide.