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Betting & Affiliates, Federations & Rights Holders

Stay updated on competition rule and format changes that could impact your services

By: Alex Roberts

Thanks for your interest.

These resources give early visibility of competitions introducing new rules which may have a material impact on their trading.

WHICH COMPETITIONS CURRENTLY USE VAR?

⚠️ Use the filter / sort functionality to see new competitions implementing VAR

Updates from June 2025, you may have missed:

  • EFL adds extra preliminary round for the 2025/26 Carabao Cup to accommodate record number of English teams participating in Europe
    • Why it’s happening:
      A record nine Premier League clubs have qualified for European competitions next season. Since those teams don’t enter the Carabao Cup until Round Three, the EFL is introducing a preliminary round to reduce the number of teams in Rounds One and Two and avoid fixture congestion

    • Who’s playing:
      Barnet and Oldham Athletic (just promoted to League Two) will join Accrington Stanley and Newport County (the lowest-ranked non-relegated League Two teams) in this early qualifier. Winners go into Round One.

Updates from March 2025, you may have missed:

  • IFAB introduces new eight-second rule to reduce time-wasting by goalkeepers for 2025/26 season
    • Per the new rule, a corner kick will be awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper holds the ball for longer than eight seconds.
    • Previously, the same rule awarded an indirect free kick if a goalkeeper held on to the ball for more than six seconds.
    • Trading team impact: Operator’s pricing models, in-play market uptime, player models, player markets and stoppage time added.

Updates from February 2025, you may have missed:

Updates from January 2025, you may have missed:

    • Norwegian football clubs vote to drop VAR – could become first country in Europe to drop technology
      • The 32 clubs in Norsk Toppfotball (NTF), which represents Norway’s top two football divisions, have voted to drop VAR. A final decision will be made by Norway’s football parliament—the country’s highest football authority—at its meeting on March 1 and 2. If approved, Norway would become the first European country to scrap VAR.
    • The 2025 Six Nations Championship to use 20-minute red cards for the first time
      • What’s New: A red-carded player can be replaced after 20 minutes in the 2025 Six Nations Championship.
      • Old Rule: Teams previously played with one fewer player for the rest of the match after a red card.
      • Why the Change: Aims to balance fairness and safety, keeping matches competitive while penalising dangerous play.
      • Exceptions: Permanent red cards still apply for serious or deliberate dangerous action.

        Updates from May 2024, you may have missed:

        Updates from April 2024, you may have missed:

        Updates from October 2023, you may have missed:

Updates from July 2023, you may have missed: