France's third division sees first coach-initiated video challenge

France's third division has become the first league in the country to implement Football Video Support (FVS), a novel system for reviewing match incidents that differs from the traditional Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

The system debuted in a match between Aubagne and Thionville, granting coaches the authority to request a review of a contentious phase of play if they believe the referee has made an erroneous judgment. Each coach is permitted to initiate up to two unsuccessful challenges during a game.

In contrast to VAR, FVS does not utilize a dedicated team of referees monitoring from a distance. Instead, the on-field referee is responsible for personally reviewing the video footage on a screen and determining whether to uphold or alter their initial decision.

The implementation saw its first significant outcome in the Aubagne vs. Thionville match, where a coach's challenge led to a red card for a player from the home team, SC Aubagne. This marks a notable shift in how officiating decisions can be contested and reviewed within a professional football match in France.