Why is VAR not in the Championship?

THE Championship is regarded as one of the toughest, most entertaining leagues in world football. But whether you’re freezing on the terraces at Loftus Road or watching a Friday night thriller under the lights at St Mary’s, one thing remains absent from the drama: VAR. While the Premier League continues to scrutinise every marginal offside and potential handball, the Championship has opted out Credit: AFP Implementing a full VAR system is not just a case of buying a few extra monitors Credit: Getty While the Premier League continues to scrutinise every marginal offside and potential handball in Stockley Park, the Championship has opted out. But as the stakes get higher and the financial reward for promotion grows, why is England’s second tier still VAR-free? Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! Here is everything you need to know about why the EFL is sticking to old-school officiating this season. Why is VAR not in the Championship? The most significant hurdle stopping VAR from entering the Championship is money. Implementing a full VAR system is not just a case of buying a few extra monitors; it requires a huge financial and logistical commitment. To run VAR to the standard required, the EFL would need to install a minimum number of broadcast cameras at every match, hire trained video officials for all games, and build a central hub to house them. For the Premier League, where broadcasting revenues are in the billions, this is a drop in the ocean. But the Championship is a league of financial extremes. Most read in Football Relegated clubs with parachute payments might be able to afford the steep six-figure seasonal bill, but asking a newly promoted club operating on a tight budget to foot the same bill is not viable. The EFL operates as a collective, and until the technology becomes significantly cheaper, the numbers do not add up for the league as a whole. It’s also easy to forget that while some Championship clubs play in modern, 30,000-seater arenas, others are playing in historic, traditional grounds built long before the digital age. VAR operation requires specific, unobstructed camera angles, particularly down the touchlines to draw those infamous offside lines. Upgrading some of the older, tighter stadiums in the division to accommodate the necessary gantries and fibre-optic cabling would require major structural work that many clubs cannot justify or achieve. The EFL has also closely monitored the fan backlash in the Premier League – where spontaneous joy is often replaced by cautious waiting – and has decided to preserve the traditional, fast-flowing rhythm of the game. Will the Championship ever get VAR? “VAR-Light” – a cheaper, stripped-back version with fewer cameras – has been trialled by FIFA under the name Football Video Support (FVS). But it has not yet reached the standard required for a full rollout in a competitive league. A full rollout is unlikely before 2028 at the absolute earliest, so for now, the 2026/27 season will continue to rely on the human eye. What technology is in use in the Championship? Fans aren’t completely devoid of technological help. The Championship has used Goal-Line Technology (GLT) since the 2017/18 season. But GLT is automated, instantaneous, and factual – a watch buzzes, a goal is given, and the game restarts. It solves the biggest potential errors without disrupting the flow of the match, which is where the EFL draws the line. Comment now