VAR in Football: The Argentine Cup’s Silent Contender
Controversies on the field repeatedly spark calls for technology-backed clarity. Across football leagues, video assistance has become a common tool to resolve disputes that fall outside a referee’s pure line of sight. While not flawless, VAR often proves valuable for officials when a decision could hinge on a momentary doubt or a close angle. Clubs that feel aggrieved frequently press to adopt VAR in competitions where it is not currently in use, hoping for fairer outcomes.
In the Argentine Cup, the same clubs that compete in the top tier of the Professional Football League participate, yet the video assistant referee has not yet been adopted. This creates a nuanced situation where demand for technology collides with organizational boundaries specific to this tournament.
WHY VAR IS NOT YET PART OF THE ARGENTINE CUP
Unlike the league tournaments and the League Cup, which operate under regulations approved by their organizing bodies, the federal competition is governed by the Argentine Football Association (AFA). In both the 2023 edition and the prior season, VAR had already been implemented in domestic play, with rules aligning to the federation’s articles of association. However, there is no explicit public rationale published for withholding VAR from the Argentine Cup.
What is clear is that the Primera Division stands out as the only tier to have integrated VAR into its standard operations. Its promotional clubs, part of this league, do not have VAR in their separate cup tournaments, despite the clear technological advantages it offers. The shift to VAR requires not only on-field equipment in stadiums but also the oversight and monitoring infrastructure at the national training and operations center in Ezeiza, where the video systems and refereeing staff are coordinated.
As football globally continues to embrace video assistance, many tournaments view VAR as a safeguard for integrity, reducing disputed calls and improving the pace of play by limiting lengthy grievance moments. In the Argentine Cup, authorities may be weighing the cost, logistics, and strategic fit of extending VAR to a federal competition that already relies on a diverse array of venues and a broad mix of participating teams.