The Malta FA confirmed its participation in the new Video Support system FIFA trials for the 2025-26 football and futsal season.

A press briefing was held at the multi-purpose hall of the new National Football Centre in Ta’ Qali, providing the media with further details about how the new technology will be introduced and implemented during football and futsal matches.

Last July, the Malta FA Executive Board unanimously approved its participation in the FIFA Football Video Support (FVS) trials and Video Support (VS) in futsal for the 2025-26 season.

The FVS system is a new technology support which requires less resources and camera equipment to be utilised, allowing coaches to challenge specific decisions. This system was tested in various competitions, including the FIFA U20 and U17 Women’s World Cups, and will be tested in upcoming FIFA competitions. FVS differs from VAR by giving coaches the ability to initiate reviews for clear and obvious errors, rather than relying on a dedicated team of video officials to monitor all incidents.

Introducing the event, Alan Mario Sant, Chairman of the Malta FA Referees Committee, remarked that it is an honour to be sharing this milestone and to be launching this new era of Maltese refereeing.

“Once FIFA announced the idea of video support, we immediately showed interest. This technology will create challenges and discussions, but we are all in this together, not just referees, but the clubs, the media, and all other stakeholders to ensure the enhancement of the game,” Mr Sant continued.

Malta FA Senior Vice President Dr Matthew Paris provided more details about the procurement process for the introduction of video support, while also highlighting the need to properly educate all stakeholders on the use of this new technology.

“All major competitions organised by the Malta FA will involve FVS, and we are also working with the Futsal Malta Association to have VS. It is important that we educate the media, as this is a new technology and it is our duty to educate,” Dr Paris noted.

Massimo Busacca, Director of Refereeing at FIFA, stressed that technology has to act as a parachute.

“It is important to remember that we are ultimately here to reduce errors, and that everything is ultimately an interpretation. The introduction of technology is not to change the game, but to refine it further,” he added.

Kampjonat Malta Ltd Chairman Alan Abela and Futsal Malta Association President Mark Borg highlighted the importance of this new technology, noting that this will serve as a trial season, with a full implementation in the coming seasons.

Reviewable decisions and incidents under the new video support system include goals, penalty decisions, red card incidents, and also cases of mistaken identity, such as when a yellow card is handed to the wrong player. All goals are checked by the fourth officials, for cases such as offsides, and if they spot something in the build-up of the attacking play, they will then call the referee over to check the play.