VAR is used in the FA Cup, but only in certain rounds and only at Premier League-level stadiums, which is why fans keep noticing “no VAR” in many ties.

H1: VAR in the FA Cup – How It Actually Works

The FA Cup mixes old-school chaos with modern tech, so VAR isn’t on for every match.

Where and when VAR is used

  • VAR is used in FA Cup matches that are played at Premier League grounds, once the competition reaches the stage where VAR is approved for use (typically from the third round onwards, when top-flight clubs enter).
  • VAR is not used in many early-round and lower-league ties, especially at grounds that don’t have the required technology or infrastructure.
  • This leads to weekends where some FA Cup games have full VAR checks, while others the same round have none at all.

Why some FA Cup games have no VAR

The main reasons often highlighted are:

  1. Stadium infrastructure
    • Many lower-league or non-league clubs don’t have permanent VAR camera setups or enough suitable camera positions to run the system properly.
 * Installing full VAR for one-off ties at dozens of smaller grounds would be logistically complex and expensive.
  1. Cost and resources
    • Running VAR needs specialist officials, technology, and broadcast-standard coverage. That’s easy at Premier League grounds, but not at a League Two or non-league stadium.
  1. Competition “tradition” vs technology
    • Some arguments in the wider debate say part of the FA Cup’s magic is its unpredictability and “pure” feel without constant VAR interruptions.
 * Others insist that once technology is part of the competition at all, not using it uniformly undermines fairness.

A typical fan complaint you’ll see on forums is something like:

“How can the same round of the FA Cup have one match with VAR and another with nothing? That’s not a level playing field.”

The fairness controversy

This split use of VAR creates three big talking points:

  • Unequal treatment in the same round
    • One tie can see a goal ruled out for a marginal offside after a long VAR check, while another tie the same day has a similar incident stand because there is no VAR at that ground.
  • Impact on giant-killings and shocks
    • The FA Cup is famous for big upsets, and fans debate whether VAR would prevent some of those dramatic moments or correct clear errors that decide a lower-league club’s dream tie.
  • High-profile flashpoints
    • Recent seasons have seen controversial goals or offside calls in FA Cup ties without VAR, fuelling calls for either “VAR everywhere, or nowhere”.

What recent seasons tell us

  • In recent FA Cup campaigns, the pattern has been:
    • VAR used only at Premier League grounds once top-flight clubs enter.
* Third and fourth rounds in particular have featured a lot of ties without VAR, because many games are hosted by lower-division teams.
  • Media explainers and fan discussions around the 2025 and 2025–26 FA Cup have repeatedly had to clarify “why there was no VAR in the third/fourth round,” showing how confusing and frustrating this is for viewers.

Different viewpoints from fans and pundits

You’ll typically see three main camps in forum and pundit debates:

  1. “All or nothing” camp
    • Wants VAR in every FA Cup tie from the round it’s introduced, even if that means temporary setups at small grounds, or alternatively scrapping VAR from the competition entirely.
  1. “Pragmatic” camp
    • Accepts that lower-league grounds can’t easily host VAR and argues that tradition and cost realities make the current hybrid model the least bad option.
  1. “Later rounds only” camp
    • Suggests using VAR only from quarter-finals or semi-finals, when all games are in bigger stadiums and TV coverage is guaranteed, to avoid early-round inconsistency.

An example of the tone around this topic:

“Either give everyone VAR or no one. You can’t have a Premier League side saved by VAR while a lower-league team gets knocked out by a clear mistake with no review.”

Quick answers to common questions

  • Is there VAR in the FA Cup?
    Yes, but not in every match; it’s generally used only at Premier League stadiums once the competition reaches the stage where VAR is sanctioned.
  • Why no VAR in some big shocks or controversial ties?
    Because the match was played at a ground without the infrastructure or remit to use VAR, even if it was the same round as ties that did have it.
  • Is this likely to keep being a talking point?
    Yes. As technology becomes more standard and controversies keep piling up, pressure will continue for a clearer, more consistent VAR policy in the FA Cup.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.