The EFL’s VAR Rules Explained Ahead of Sunderland’s Post-Season Championship Play-Off Campaign
Sunderland have booked their spot in the Championship play-off final at Wembley, where they’ll face Sheffield United following a thrilling semi-final victory over Coventry City across two legs.
While the use of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) is now a regular feature in the Premier League and appears sporadically in domestic cup competitions, the technology is not standard in the EFL’s regular season matches—including those in the Championship, League One, and League Two.
However, despite its absence throughout most of the campaign, VAR will make a return for Sunderland’s biggest fixture of the season under manager Régis Le Bris.
Will VAR Be Used During Sunderland vs Sheffield United at Wembley?
The EFL has officially confirmed that the upcoming Championship play-off final will include three major technological additions designed to enhance the officiating process and overall transparency of the match.
For the first time in the history of the Championship play-off final, VAR will be in operation alongside semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) and real-time in-stadium VAR announcements. The implementation of SAOT will assist officials with faster and more accurate offside calls, while the new in-stadium announcement system will allow referees to directly communicate VAR decisions to fans inside Wembley—adding much-needed clarity to potentially controversial moments.
These changes mark a significant step forward in the EFL’s approach to match-day officiating, particularly on such a high-stakes occasion.
Have Sunderland Played a Match With VAR Previously?
Supporters may recall that VAR was also present during Sunderland’s 2022 League One play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley Stadium. While the technology was available for that match, it ultimately wasn’t called into action in any decisive moments.
As it stands, that remains the only match in Sunderland’s competitive history where VAR has been used—though the final against Sheffield United will mark their second experience under the system.
What Has Le Bris Said About the Play-Off Final Against Sheffield United?
Régis Le Bris has praised his squad’s effort and attitude throughout what has been a demanding but highly rewarding season. Speaking ahead of the final, he emphasized that reaching Wembley is already an impressive achievement—but made it clear that the team’s focus has now shifted entirely to finishing the job.
The Sunderland boss is under no illusions about the scale of the challenge ahead. Sheffield United have been formidable all season, finishing the regular campaign with 92 points—despite beginning with a two-point deduction—and convincingly dismantling Bristol City 6-0 on aggregate in their semi-final clash.
Following a physically and emotionally draining two-legged battle against Coventry City, Sunderland’s players and staff were given a well-earned rest day on Wednesday. They are expected to resume training on Thursday as preparations for the Wembley final ramp up.
“Getting to the final shows that this season has been fantastic,” Le Bris said. “It is very important to say that because you can win or lose at the end, but what we have lived together this season was absolutely brilliant. We cannot forget that. But at the same time, it is really important to think about Wembley now and the final game we have to play. We have one more game. It will be another tough challenge, but we will be really focused on that game now. We will switch our attention to Wembley towards the end of the week, and then we will have a full week to prepare for the game. That is the next step for us now.”
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