VAR to be used in the Champions League from next season

The VAR control room during the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Credit: AP

Video assistant referee (VAR) technology will be used in the Champions League from next season, UEFA has announced.

The European governing body revealed VAR would be used in the 2019-20 competition from the play-off stage onward.

It will also be used at the 2019 UEFA Super Cup, the Euro 2020 finals, the Europa League group stage from the 2020-21 season and the 2021 Nations League finals.

The decision was made by the UEFA executive committee at a meeting in Nyon, Switzerland on Thursday morning.

The technology has received a mixed reaction from fans, footballers and managers alike since its introduction in some tournaments.

And the FA declined to introduce it to the Premier League in the current 2018/19 season, instead opting for continued testing and use in cup competitions.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said: "We are confident that introducing video assistant referees in August 2019 will give us enough time to put in place a robust system and to train match officials to ensure an efficient and successful implementation of VAR in the UEFA Champions League, the world's flagship club competition."