On Digiturk Play we follow every Süper Lig and TFF 1. Lig match with real excitement, and increasingly the drama turns on one thing: the referee awarding a goal after a VAR check, or issuing a red card after consulting VAR. But what exactly is VAR, and how does it work? This article explains it step by step.

What Does VAR Mean?

VAR stands for Video Assistant Referee. In simple terms, it is a match official who reviews the decisions made by the on-field referee. VAR is appointed by the Central Referee Committee (MHK), one of the bodies of the Turkish Football Federation. Working alongside VAR is the AVAR – the Assistant Video Assistant Referee – a current or former referee who supports the VAR. The guiding principle of the system is “minimum interference, maximum benefit”: it corrects clear and obvious errors, as well as smaller mistakes that could be missed but still affect the game.

The Four Situations VAR Reviews

VAR and AVAR check the referee’s decisions under four main headings:

1. Goal / no goal
2. Penalty / no penalty
3. Direct red card
4. Mistaken identity when a red or yellow card is shown

If VAR notices something during play, it informs the referee. This is known as a silent check, and it does not interrupt the match. While watching on Digiturk Play, you will sometimes see the referee speaking with the VAR team through an earpiece during exactly these moments.

How the Review Process Works

A VAR check can lead to three possible outcomes. First, the referee’s original decision may be overturned on VAR’s recommendation – and it is worth stressing the word recommendation, because VAR is not the decision-maker but more of an advisory board. Second, VAR may recommend an On-Field Review (OFR), carried out while the ball is out of play or the game is stopped; the referee signals it by drawing a rectangle in the air for everyone to see. Third, the check may confirm the original call, and play simply continues.

During an OFR the referee goes to the Referee Review Area (RRA), a clearly visible zone at the side of the pitch. There, using slow-motion replays from different camera angles, the referee looks for physical contact, handball or other breaches of the laws of the game. When the review is complete, the referee again draws the rectangle sign and returns to the field. If the review changes the original decision, play restarts according to the new call; if not, it continues as before. Watching on Digiturk Play, you get to see these same replays from multiple angles.

VAR in the Süper Lig and TFF 1. Lig

VAR is applied in every Süper Lig and TFF 1. Lig match, helping ensure that games are officiated as fairly as possible. You can follow all of them live on Digiturk Play – review the available plans on the packages page.