Last Updated:
La Liga will introduce a new VAR system next season, giving coaches two challenge opportunities per match. This follows a season of controversy and a major overhaul of referees.
La Liga is set to witness a revolutionary change in the way VAR is administered (X)
La Liga is set for a major transformation next season as the Spanish Referees Committee prepares to roll out a revolutionary VAR system aimed at boosting transparency and reducing controversy.
According to COPE Radio, the new system will introduce a coach’s challenge rule, granting each manager two VAR challenge opportunities per match. If a challenge results in the overturning of an incorrect decision, the coach retains the right to make another appeal. However, if the original call is upheld, that challenge opportunity is lost.
💥 Informa @partidazocope✅ Aprobado el VAR ‘low cost’ (FVS) en 1ª RFEF para esta temporada
📺 El árbitro revisará tras petición de los entrenadores
2⃣ Revisiones por equipo; si aciertan, las conservan
📅 En la Liga F podría aprobarse esta semana
📻 #PartidazoCOPE pic.twitter.com/SABk8paZB7
— El Partidazo de COPE (@partidazocope) July 28, 2025
This landmark move follows a tumultuous season marked by repeated clashes between clubs and match officials—most notably, Real Madrid’s weekly attacks on referees via the club’s official media channels. The attacks became so intense that Spain’s referees’ union filed lawsuits against the club.
Structural Overhaul in Refereeing
Earlier this year, RFEF president Rafael Louzán announced that Spanish refereeing was due for a sweeping structural overhaul. According to Marca, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has officially dissolved the entire refereeing committee in response to mounting pressure from clubs demanding systemic reform.
As part of the shake-up, Luis Medina Cantalejo, head of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), and Carlos Clos Gómez, head of VAR, have both been removed from their positions.
They are joined by several high-ranking officials, including Antonio Rubinos Pérez and three vice presidents, who are also stepping down.
Cantalejo had led the CTA since December 2021, while Gómez had overseen VAR operations in Spain. Both came under heavy scrutiny last season, with a growing number of clubs expressing dissatisfaction with officiating standards and decision-making consistency.
The conflict reached a boiling point earlier this year when a four-club panel was created to help guide refereeing reform. Notably, Real Madrid were excluded from the committee—something that did not sit well with the club.
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More
view comments
- First Published:
