Women’s Asian Cup 2026: Will VAR be implemented at this year’s tournament?

The 21st edition of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup is underway and this year the tournament will be hosted by Australia.

This year is the final edition of the tournament, which will be linked to the qualifying matches for the Women’s World Cup. It also marks India’s first tournament appearance through qualification rather than invitations or by hosting.

Will Video Assistant Referee (VAR) be used in the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup?

For the first time since its inception, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup will use Video Assistant Referee technology for all 27 matches that will take place in the tournament. This marks a monumental step in the development of women’s football in Asia, as the AFC continues its efforts to improve the technological state of women’s football on the continent to an elite level.

VAR won’t be the only technological advancement in the competition; A virtual offside line will also be available, producing 2D and 3D visualisations to help the refereeing team decide on tight calls.

A digital replacement system is also being introduced, replacing the traditional paper process.

Published on March 4, 2026