Football
ESPN staff 7y

MLS to begin using video replay reviews in all games starting Aug. 5

Major League Soccer will incorporate video reviews into all games beginning Aug. 5.

The system, created under guideline's from International Football Association Board (IFAB), has been tested for nearly a year in USL and MLS games and is now ready to be implemented, the league announced on Thursday.

A video assistant referee (VAR) will have access to all available replays to check for "clear and obvious errors or serious missed incidents" in four situations only -- goals, penalty decisions, straight red cards and cases of mistaken identity. 

The VAR will be located in the stadium during the game, unlike video reviews in Major League Baseball, which are all reviewed at one location in New York.

A communications system will allow the VAR to alert and advise the head referee.

A similar system was used at the FIFA Confederations Cup and received criticism over a number of incidents.

MLS commissioner Don Garber told ESPN FC in December that he did not expect the system to be perfect initially, but that it would be eventually.

"It will certainly take a lot of time before it becomes part of the ecosystem of the game here and everywhere around the world," he said. "But it's a big focus of ours and a deep investment that we're preparing for in 2017."

^ Back to Top ^