Is There VAR in the FA Cup?

Round three of the FA Cup will take center stage this weekend with teams from the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two of English soccer still in the contention in the oldest soccer competition on the planet.

Despite its over century long existence, the FA Cup has adapted to the times and since 2018, Video Assistant Referee was introduced to the competition. VAR was utilized only at games that took place in Premier League grounds or in matches at Wembley Stadium. However, this season, changes have been implemented to ensure an even playing field for all teams involved.

The FA released a statement in mid-December confirming that: "It has been agreed that VAR will be utilized for every match in the fifth round of the competition through to the final at Wembley Stadium, and will not be in operation for the third and fourth rounds."

Since the arrival of VAR to the FA Cup, the thought process was to allow grounds that already have the technology installed to utilize it from the moment the tournament starts. Now, regardless if Premier League sides host fixtures before the fifth round, VAR won't be available, like in Sunday's clash at Emirate Stadium between Arsenal and Manchester United.

On the other hand, should a team from a lower division make the fifth round and host a game, VAR will be installed at their venue, which could see a number of teams using said technology for the first time.

"This decision ensures that there is a consistent refereeing approach for all clubs taking part in the same stage of the competition," the FA statement read.

Round three of the FA Cup will take place from Thursday, Jan. 9–13, with the bulk of the fourth round taking place a month later, the weekend of Feb. 8.