The Guatemala National League is getting closer to incorporating a new technological tool to support arbitration work. This Thursday, with the coordination of the Fifa and the Refereeing Department of the National Football Federation of Guatemala (FFG)tests were carried out Football Video Support (FVS)a system that would be being used since the beginning of the 2026 Apertura Tournament.
The implementation of the FVS represents an important step for Guatemalan soccer in terms of referee innovation, since it will allow certain plays to be reviewed during matches, although with a different operation than the traditional Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
An alternative to VAR
The wait for the arrival of technology to national arbitration has been long, but the National LeagueHe will initially opt for a more accessible version developed by Fifa: the Football Video Support (FVS).
This system was created for competitions that do not have the technological infrastructure or resources necessary to iimplement conventional VARoffering a simpler, lower-cost solution while still supporting referees in key decisions.
How does the FVS work?
Unlike VAR, Football Video Support It does not have a team of referees located in a video room permanently reviewing all the actions of the match.
In the FVS, the review of a play is carried out only when the main referee decides to request it or when a team makes use of a review request, always under the parameters established by Fifa for this system.
The referee goes to a monitor located on the side of the playing field, observes the available replays and, based on them, makes the final decision on the revised action.
Start planned for Apertura 2026
The tests carried out at the Cementos Progreso stadium are part of the preparation process so that Football Video Support can enter operation since the start of the 2026 Apertura Tournament.
Coordination between Fifa and the FFG Refereeing Department seeks to ensure that both referees and technical staff are trained to correctly use this tool before the start of the competition.
If its implementation is completed, Guatemala will join the leagues that use FVS as an alternative to VARwith the aim of strengthening referee decision-making and reducing errors in decisive actions during matches.