VAR Implementation in Indian Football: Challenges and Future Plans

AIFF’s Plans for VAR in Indian Football

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) have been informed about the potential introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology. Trevor Kettle, AIFF’s chief refereeing officer (CRO), mentioned that the current accuracy in ISL and I-League is around 82%. However, VAR’s implementation faces several hurdles.

Challenges to VAR Adoption

AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey emphasized the goal of reducing errors in decision-making with VAR. Though VAR is a priority, the federation is considering AVRS (Additional Video Review System) as a starting option due to financial constraints. Kettle noted that, once approved, VAR could take 12 to 18 months to implement, following FIFA’s guidelines. He also highlighted the significant costs involved, particularly for infrastructure and training.

Financial Constraints

The initial cost for VAR implementation could reach ₹25 crore in the first year, with recurring costs of ₹12-13 crore annually. These figures, according to a former AIFF official, were seen as unaffordable for the I-League.

Referee Training and Evaluation

Currently, India’s 18 elite match officials are not trained for VAR, which limits their participation in top tournaments. AIFF plans to increase the number of full-time referees to 50 by 2026.

Performance is assessed through Key Match Incidents (KMI), which include decisions on penalties, goals, and offside calls. Kettle acknowledged that aiming for 83-85% accuracy leaves room for a 15-20% error margin. He noted that this would likely be unacceptable to fans and officials.

Looking Forward

The AIFF remains committed to adopting VAR in Indian football. While the timeline for implementation is still uncertain, the federation is working on overcoming the challenges of cost and training. With the right infrastructure, VAR may soon become a part of Indian football.