Innovation Didn't Help: The Longest VAR Check in English Football History

The recent FA Cup matches were marked by the first appearance of the semi-automated offside detection system in English football, yet it proved powerless in one of the matches, causing an unprecedented delay.

Details: The match in question was between Bournemouth and Wolverhampton. It was expected that the system would help reduce the time to analyze offsides by 30 seconds, but VAR referees in this match, when Milos Kerkez's goal was disallowed in the 35th minute, couldn't rely on it and had to manually draw the lines.

However, the match stoppage was extended as VAR officials Timothy Wood and Darren England twice checked for handball - including against Heisen - before a tight offside was confirmed.

In the end, the delay took eight minutes of game time – a record in English football. It is believed that the previous longest VAR check lasted five minutes and 37 seconds in a Premier League match between West Ham and Aston Villa in March 2024.

Reminder: The regular time in the match between Bournemouth and Wolverhampton ended with a score of 1-1, and in the penalty shootout, the hosts claimed victory with a score of 5-4.