The EFL Cup (also known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship purposes) is one of England’s top knockout football competitions, open to all 92 professional clubs across the Football League. Since its inception in 1960, it has been a source of excitement and memorable moments for football fans. However, one ongoing debate surrounding the tournament is the use of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) technology.
Is VAR used in the Carabao Cup?
VAR is not used throughout all stages of the Carabao Cup. It is only guaranteed for the final at Wembley Stadium, while its use in earlier rounds depends on the discretion of the EFL (English Football League).
In general, VAR is only employed when all host venues in a particular round are equipped with the necessary technology. For example, in the 2023/24 semifinals, VAR was not activated because Middlesbrough—one of the semifinal teams—did not have the required setup at their Riverside Stadium. As a result, VAR was also scrapped for the other semifinal at Anfield, even though Liverpool‘s ground had the system.
Why isn’t VAR used in all Carabao Cup matches?
The main reason VAR isn’t consistently used in the Carabao Cup is that many participating clubs—especially from lower leagues—don’t have the infrastructure to support it. Setting up VAR requires expensive equipment, including cameras, communication devices, and pitchside monitors, which are beyond the financial reach of many smaller clubs.
A report from The Yorkshire Post in 2021 estimated that it would have cost the Championship £12.26 million ($16.3 million) to install VAR during the 2019/20 season, and that doesn’t include the ongoing costs of operating the system for each match.
Is VAR used in FA Cup matches?
In contrast to the EFL Cup, the FA Cup takes a different approach. The FA Cup uses VAR wherever possible, but only at Premier League stadiums or those equipped with VAR technology. This means that in the FA Cup, VAR is used for matches at higher-tier grounds, even if other games in the same round don’t have it.
The FA has defended this decision, stating that VAR should be utilized whenever available, as it provides match officials with additional support. The FA’s stance is that using VAR in some matches doesn’t compromise fairness for games without it.
Overall, the difference in how VAR is applied in the EFL Cup and FA Cup comes down to costs, infrastructure, and the leagues’ respective policies on competitive fairness.