VAR centralized in the Ascenso: Delay is minimal, almost imperceptible

Chile's Liga de Ascenso, the country's second-tier professional football league, is set to implement a centralized Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system starting this Friday. The initiative aims to enhance officiating accuracy and speed up decision-making on the field.

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The delay is minimal, almost imperceptible by the VAR and field referee. It works very well at this level.

Roberto Tobar, head of the ANFP's Referee Commission, confirmed that the system will be managed from a central location in Santiago. This setup is designed to ensure that VAR can be effectively utilized across all stadiums in the league. Tobar highlighted the technical efficiency of the system, stating that the delay between a live event and a VAR decision is "minimal, almost imperceptible" to both the VAR officials and the on-field referees.

Tobar expressed significant optimism about the introduction of VAR, describing it as an "indispensable tool for modern football." He referenced its successful use in the World Cup, emphasizing that VAR provides referees with a crucial "second chance" in complex situations. This technology is particularly welcomed in the Liga de Ascenso, where its implementation has been long-awaited.

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We are quite happy and optimistic about the arrival of the tool that is super indispensable for modern football, we already saw it in the World Cup.

The first match to feature the new VAR system will be between Unión Española and Deportes Antofagasta. The league anticipates that VAR will significantly improve the quality of refereeing and contribute to fairer competition, aligning with global standards in professional football.

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It allows the referee to have a second chance in situations that are quite complex, especially in the Ascenso division, which has been requested for a long time.