Major VAR development for Championship and West Bromwich Albion games

Regardless of whether West Bromwich Albion get promoted to the Premier League, the Championship could see a new 'low cost' video referee system introduced as early as the 2023/24 season.

The scaled-back video referee system is on the agenda to try and avoid major refereeing blunders.

According to The Times, the Premier League's often-controversial VAR format would be too expensive to run and manage successfully in lower division leagues but a 'low cost alternative' is on the agenda.

An EFL source told the paper: "If there is a low-cost video monitoring system that stops the real blunders but does not get into a toenail being offside or studying every handball in minute detail then that could be the best of both worlds."

Talks between the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) and the English Football League have reportedly already started about introducing the system.

New systems have been developed by the technology company which involve four cameras which can be installed inside 45 minutes and they would be stationed around the pitch.

A live feed would then be sent to the video assistant referee sitting in the stands while the touchline VAR monitor used in the Premier League, would be replaced by an iPad in lower divisions.