February 25 – Brazilian elite football has adopted VAR for the upcoming 2019 season after a unanimous vote in favour of the video review technology. Next year the Supercup will be reintroduced, but a measure to limit teams to firing one coach per season was rejected. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) had proposed a number of measures to clubs to advance the domestic game in Brazil’s top-flight that also included the re-introduction of the Supercup and a measure to limit teams to firing one coach per season. In 2018, the cost of installing VAR had been a stumbling block and clubs voted the technology down 12 to seven. This time the CBF agreed to pay for the technology with the clubs covering the cost of the match officials operating the devices. In 2017 VAR, the main novelty at last year’s World Cup in Russia, was first introduced in the Brazilian game. In total VAR was used in 21 games, including 13 times in the Brazilian Cup. This season’s Brazilian topflight kicks off on April 28 and all 380 matches will feature VAR. Next season, in 2020, the Supercup will also be reintroduced. In the early days of Ricardo Teixeira’s reign as CBF president the federation tried to pit the Brazilian champions against the domestic cup winners as a curtain raiser for the season, but the Supercup folded after just two editions in 1991 and 1992. “The possibility was approved that at the beginning of the season, starting on January 22, the Brazilian champion will play in a single match with the Brazilian Cup champion, in a place to be defined,” said CBF general secretary Walter Feldman (pictured). The CBF had also proposed to limit the clubs to dismissing one coach a season, but that idea was not accepted by the clubs. Brazilian football is notorious for its short-term approach and winning-at-all-costs mentality, often curtailing any long-term vision a coach may have for his team or club. The CBF wanted to introduce the measure to stabilise the daily management of Brazilian clubs, but, while Feldman reacted with disappointed to the rejection, he recognised that the proposal is not dead yet. “The main measures have been approved, one of them has not been approved, which is the limitation of the rotation of coaches in the clubs,” said Feldman. “But we think it was a good debate, quite polemic, with four proposals, and an indication that this will mature and be discussed next season.” Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1586841808labto1586841808ofdlr1586841808owedi1586841808sni@o1586841808fni1586841808
Brazil's top-flight football clubs have unanimously voted to introduce video assistant referee (VAR) technology for the coming season. The decision was taken at a meeting of all Brazilian teams in Rio de Janeiro on Friday and will be implemented from next season, with the first match taking place between Flamengo and Vasco da Gama on May The use of VAR was voted down last year because of costs but the CBF has now agreed to finance the technology, leaving clubs only having to pay for match officials to operate the system.