VAR to be implemented in AFC Champions League ko stage
The Asian football governing body announced that VAR will be part of the AFC Champions League Knockout Stage and AFC Cup Final for the second consecutive season.
Following VAR’s implementation in the last edition of the AFC Champions League which was its first existence in AFC Club Competitions history, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) decided to implement Video Assistant Referee technology as of this year's AFC Champions League quarter-finals in addition to AFC Cup final game.
AFC first adopted the technology of VAR in the Quarter-final stage of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 before the system was adopted across all 32 matches at the AFC U23 Championship Thailand 2020. On the level of Asian club Competitions, VAR made its debut last season in the AFC champions league knockout stages.
The Asian Confederation has held several workshops and training seminars since March 2017 while AFC VAR Information Officer (VIO) Workshops have also been organized to ensure VIOs are kept up to date on the latest VAR developments to ensure the implementation of the technology in the best manner possible by their referees.
Teams that made it to the Champions League quarter-finals
Five rounds of AFC Champions League have been held so far with only one round left. Leader of group B Al Sharjah have already secured their ticket to the competition's quarter-final as they comfortably top the group standings on 11 points, 4 clear of their nearest chasers Tractor Sazi Tabriz FC. Last year's runners-up Perspolis of Iran have also secured their berth in quarter-final having earned 12 points leading group B standings.