VAR has been trialled in some domestic English cup games this season, and has been used in Germany and Italy.

“We need to live with the times,” said Fifa president Gianni Infantino.

“We wanted to give the referees tools so they can make better decisions, and in the World Cup some very important decisions are made.”

He added: “It’s not possible that in 2018 everyone in their living room knows a few seconds after the play whether a referee has made a mistake and the referee doesn’t.”

VAR was first used at the Club World Cup in December 2016, and trialled in the 2017 Confederations Cup.

The system was described as “comical” and “embarrassing” after Tottenham’s 6-1 FA Cup win over Rochdale in late February, when a goal was disallowed and a converted penalty overturned.

The Premier League is not expected to introduce VAR next season, and Uefa has already said it will not be used in the 2018-19 Champions League.

Spain’s La Liga and France’s Ligue 1 are to introduce it from next season, while the Bundesliga will decide on 22 March.

“I was sceptical at first, but without trying you cannot know what it’s worth,” Infantino added.

“Without VAR, a referee can make one important mistake every three matches. With VAR, the figures we have seen from the trials that have been held show that a big mistake is made once every 19 matches.”

The world governing body’s formal announcement comes after the International Football Association Board (Ifab) “unanimously approved” the introduction of VAR on a permanent basis earlier this month.

Ifab is made up of Fifa and the Football Associations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Each FA has one vote to Fifa’s four, with six votes required for a change in the laws.

The body made the decision to approve the technology following the results of independent analysis conducted by Belgian university KU Leuven.

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Source: BBC

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Gabon fielded an ineligible player – Merlin Tandjigora, who should have been suspended – in the 3-0 home defeat by Ivory Coast on 2 September.

The Panthers effectively escape with a fine as the main sanction for the error is to forfeit the match 3-0.

Several teams suffered similar sanctions in 2014 World Cup qualifying.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation has been fined just over US$30,000 and issued with a warning after fans invaded the pitch when they beat Cameroon 4-0 on 1 September.

DR Congo were also given a warning and also handed a major fine, forced to pay Fifa around US$20,000, for incidents during their match against Tunisia on 5 September.

Fifa ruled that there had been “improper conduct among spectators – throwing objects [bottles] and letting off incendiary devices” at the match, which ended 2-2, in Kinshasa.

The Congolese federation was also sanctioned for failing to fly national flags at the stadium and for not displaying a mandatory “central advertising board”.

There was a US$15,000 fine and a warning for Mali after their home match against Morocco also suffered from “improper conduct among spectators – throwing objects [bottles and chairs]”.

Elsewhere, Zambia must pay US$7,000 after their fans threw objects when they played Algeria in Lusaka.

Morocco’s punishment of US$3,000 and a warning was given after spectators whistled during the national anthem ahead of their match against Mali in Rabat.

Both Burkina Faso and Senegal were issued warnings for delayed kick-offs in their matches against each other on 2 and 5 September respectively.

And South Africa’s Erick Mulomowandau Mathoho had his suspension for a straight red card against Cape Verde increased from one match to two and also fined US$5,000.

He was dismissed in Praia for kicking out at an opponent after the ball had already gone into touch and missed the return match a few days later through suspension.

The increased ban means Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter had to drop him from his squad to face visiting Burkina Faso on Saturday.

He has been replaced by Cape Town City captain Robyn Johannes, who has earned his first call-up since 2008.

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Source: BBC

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