VAR will be used in the remainder of the European qualifying cycle for the World Cup, UEFA reported in a statement on Thursday morning. There was no VAR in the first three group matches, but the executive committee has decided to introduce the video referee from the fourth match.
Initially, the VAR would only make its appearance during the play-offs for the last tickets for the World Cup. Those matches will be played after the group stages and will be between the runner-up in the groups and the top two Nations League group winners who did not finish in the top two in regular qualifying. The Dutch national team is currently second in Group G, after a 4-2 defeat to Turkey, a 2-0 win over Latvia and a 0-7 win over Gibraltar.
The the Dutch squad, officially led by Louis van Gaal since Wednesday, will resume the qualifying series on Wednesday, September 1, with an away game against Norway, three days later at home against Montenegro and the return game against Turkey on Tuesday, September 7. A video referee is therefore present at all these matches. UEFA actually wanted to use a VAR throughout the qualifying series, but “those plans were resisted due to the logistical complications and risks associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.”
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