Major League Soccer and the German Bundesliga are among leagues and competitions in seven countries to test video replay for FIFA to see if it can be realistically implemented worldwide. If tests prove successful, FIFA would then test video replay in the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup in Japan.
Video replay has been on the forefront of many soccer fans minds recently as it appeared referees were missing more and more calls. Some say that video replay is a solution that can only help referees make the correct decisions while others say that video replay is unrealistic because it can slow down the game and mess up with the rhythm of a game that has no natural breaks.
Leagues and competitions who have been approved to test video replay include:
Australia: A-League
Brazil: Various competitions
Germany: Bundesliga
Netherlands: Various competitions
Portugal: Liga NOS, Portuguese Cup and Super Cup
United States and Canada: MLS
It’s important to note that it’s still going to take a while before fans see a bad call get overturned in a game, if it ever gets to that point. Video replay right now is simply a test so far and the earliest there can be live tests will be sometime next year. And it’ll take even longer for leagues who are not a part of these tests. FIFA and the IAFB say that other leagues are also interested in testing video replay so there is a possibility of more countries and leagues participating, but are having more deliberations between themselves before fully committing.
The IAFB reports that with a two-year testing period, video replay could be voted to be implemented worldwide sometime in 2018 or 2019 if it gets to that point.
[FIFA]
