September 27 – The fast forward march of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system has reached Asia with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announcing that it it will be introduced “at some stage” in the Asian Cup UAE 2019 which kicks off January 5.
The caveat over the introduction of VAR from the AFC Executive Committee is that its implementation can only come “pending final confirmation that all necessary preparation is in place.”
AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said: “We saw the VAR first hand during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and it was clear to everyone that there needed to be a great deal of training of officials and investment in facilities to make sure that the system was effective and a positive addition to the game.
“We are grateful for the support of FIFA and IFAB and now I have asked the Administration to ensure all the logistical elements and practical arrangements are in place so that we can introduce the VAR to enhance the AFC Asian Cup.’
The announcement was made as representatives of the 24 teams arrived in Abu Dhabi for the Teams’ Workshop. Asian Cup UAE 2019 is now just 100 days away kick off.
This edition of the Asian Cup sees the number of participating teams increased from 16 to 24 and new record prize money of $14.8 million. The winners will receive $5 million, runners-up $3 million, losing semi-finalists $1 million and each participant $200,000.
UAE vs Bahrain will open the tournament in Abu Dhabi which will also host the final on February 1. The 51 matches being played in eight stadiums across four host cities – Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
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