The VAR will be implemented as early as next season in the First League, a first in Europe for a women’s football championship, announced Jean-Michel Aulas, the president of the Professional Women’s Football League (LFFP) on Monday.
« We will be the first professional women’s league to have VAR starting next year », congratulated the vice-president of the Federation, on the sidelines of the LFFP trophies evening. « The First League will have a similar system to the men and for French professional women’s football, this is an extremely significant and important advancement ».
Video assistance has already been introduced this season during the playoffs of the championship, with the final between OL Lyonnes and Paris FC set to take place on May 29 at the Groupama Stadium, but it will now be in effect for all matches in the regular season for the 2026-2027 season.
A system with four cameras
« We will work with four cameras on this VAR, detailed the former president of the OL. It’s a certain standard and we have already visited the stadiums that will be equipped. It is not necessary for them to be large stadiums, but of course, the big arenas will be able to host women’s football matches ».
While social partners announced on Monday to AFP an agreement on a collective agreement for professional players, Jean-Michel Aulas praised the sharply rising attendances in First League stadiums.
« We have surpassed, in terms of attendance, the Spanish League. England and Germany are still ahead of us, but we are now in the top three and this is therefore a significant evolution », concluded the unsuccessful candidate for the mayor of Lyon.
