In what may become a landmark moment for global football officiating, FIFA has named 54 match officials, including 18 referees and 36 assistant referees from 22 countries, for the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.

But beyond the selection headlines, the true game changer lies in what these officials will be piloting: an alternative to VAR known as Football Video Support (FVS), a bold new tech experiment set to reshape the future of lower-cost football tournaments.

The tournament, scheduled for September 27 to October 19, 2025, will serve as a global proving ground for the FVS system, a coach-led challenge format that allows head coaches to request video reviews of key match incidents like goals, penalties, red cards, or mistaken identity without relying on dedicated VAR officials.

“This isn’t just another tournament. It’s a testing ground for the stars of tomorrow and the refereeing systems of the future,” said Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee.

Unlike VAR, which requires an elaborate setup of multiple cameras and an off-pitch team of video referees, FVS offers a cost-effective solution tailored to developing football nations and grassroots competitions.

It was first tested at the 2024 U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia and the U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic with positive feedback, and now FIFA is taking it to a higher-stakes men’s competition for deeper assessment.

“We’ve heard the calls from member associations for affordable tech. FVS gives us that balance, support for referees, without the cost and complexity of VAR,” Collina added.

A New Chapter for Refereeing

The referees named for Chile 2025 will not only officiate matches but also serve as pioneers of a refereeing revolution, potentially setting a precedent for the use of smart officiating tools across international and domestic leagues where VAR remains out of reach.

FIFA’s Director of Refereeing, Massimo Busacca, emphasised the importance of the tournament for building long-term refereeing capacity: “Chile is a football-loving nation, and this World Cup gives us the opportunity to leave behind more than just memories; it allows us to build a legacy in match officiating.”

FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025:

• Dates: September 27 – October 19, 2025
• Match Officials: 54 total (18 referees, 36 assistant referees)
• Countries Represented: 22
• New Technology Trialed: Football Video Support (FVS)
• Review Requests: Coaches allowed limited challenges for key decisions
• Legacy Goal: Referee development and tech innovation

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As anticipation builds for the Chile-hosted tournament, all eyes will not just be on the young stars on the pitch but on how the game is called, challenged, and changed in real time. If successful, FIFA’s quiet revolution through FVS could level the technological playing field for football nations long sidelined by the high costs of VAR.