Yahoo Sports Officials to trial announcing VAR decisions in Germany
Match officials in German football's two top tiers will announce decisions made by the video assistant referee (VAR) to the crowd as part of a trial to take place this weekend.
Stadium announcements are commonplace in other sports such as rugby union and American football, and the system was also trialled during the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
It is currently being trialled in England in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, with Stuart Attwell explaining a goal by Tottenham's Dominic Solanke being ruled out for offside against Liverpool on 8 January.
Nine clubs, including Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, have volunteered to be part of the trial across the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2.
Five games will be included in the first trial, which will take place on 1 and 2 February. At those matches, the referee will explain a decision after they have been to the review area and screen or the VAR has suggested they overturn a decision.
The trial is designed to "increase the transparency of referee decisions" and "ensure greater understanding among the fans", said Ansgar Schwenken, the director of match operation and fans at the DFL, Germany's governing body.
The Premier League said in a meeting last summer that in-game VAR announcements would be put in place at some point this season.
Games included in the trial
Fortuna Dusseldorf v SSV Ulm (Saturday, 1 February, 12:00 GMT)
Bayern Munich v Holstein Kiel (Saturday, 1 February, 14:30 GMT)
St. Pauli v Augsburg (Saturday, 1 February, 14:30 GMT)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Wolfsburg (Sunday, 2 February, 14:30 GMT)
Bayer Leverkusen v Hoffenheim (Sunday, 2 February, 16:30 GMT)
