How will VAR work at Copa América 2024? Rules, referees and when they check

Since the summer of 2016 major soccer leagues have used Video Assistant Referees (VAR) to supplement the on-field decisions, with... mixed results. While the remote VAR officials have access to a full range of replays and other technologies they are far from the field of play and the more complex decision-making process has made a few high-profile errors.

With that in mind, the rules and regulations for VAR are extremely prescriptive and different competitions often deploy the technology in different ways, with the rules subtly altered. This summer’s European Championship, for example, is using a ball-tracking element designed to provide faster offside decisions. Copa América’s VAR process will stick to the standard FIFA rules.

What are the VAR rules for Copa América?

Each of the Copa América host stadiums will be fitted with additional cameras and pitchside monitors to allow referees to benefit from VAR technology. The VAR will always be running but there is a very specific set of circumstances in which it can be used. Here’s the four reasons for a VAR intervention...

Goal decisions - Put simply, if the referee is deciding whether or not a goal should be awarded they are able to use VAR. This could be in relation to a foul in the build-up; a tight offside decision; whether the ball crossed the line. Any potential infringement could be checked by VAR.

Penalty decisions - Referees can also use VAR to check penalty decisions. Like with goal decisions, penalties are such a crucial decision that referees are allowed extra time and technology to help decision-making.

Direct red cards - Any decision involving a straight red card can be overturned with the help of VAR if the player was deemed to have been unfairly penalised. Likewise, VAR officials can recommend that the referee takes another look at the incident if they believe that a player should have received a red card. Note that this only applies to ‘direct red cards’, rather than a dismissal after two yellows.

Mistaken identity - Less common, but still used on occasion. VAR can intervene if they believe that a referee has confused two players and mistakenly given the wrong one a yellow or red card.

The 101 officials involved in this summer’s tournament have just completed a five-day seminar in Dallas, Texas. Across those days the referees - drawn from CONMEBOL, UEFA, and CONCACAF - took part in physical tests, on-field officiating and VAR boot simulations.

“As usual, and especially given the importance of the CONMEBOL Copa América️, we conducted preliminary physical, technical, and theoretical work. This year, we also had the participation of referees from CONCACAF and UEFA to unify criteria and intervention lines, but we have realized that we are on the same page,” said Carlos Astroza, CONMEBOL’s Technical Manager of Refereeing.