Will VAR be in use during Sunderland's play-off final against Sheffield United? EFL rules explained

Sunderland are set to compete in the Championship play-offs final at Wembley against Sheffield United, having defeated Coventry City over two legs.

As we all know, VAR (Video Assistant Referee) is used in the Premier League regularly and sporadically in cup competitions in the United Kingdom, though the technology is not currently used in the Championship, League One or League Two.

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However, VAR could still impact Sunderland this season during their play-off campaign under Régis Le Bris... here, we take you through everything you need to know:

Will VAR be used during Sunderland vs Sheffield United at Wembley?

The EFL has confirmed that this year’s Championship play-off final will feature a trio of key technological enhancements aimed at improving match officiating and transparency. For the first time in the fixture's history, the game will include the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR), semi-automated offside technology (SAOT), and in-stadium VAR announcements.

The inclusion of in-stadium announcements will mean that, following any VAR decision, referees will communicate the outcome directly to fans inside Wembley Stadium, adding an extra layer of clarity to what are often complex and controversial moments.

Have Sunderland played a match with VAR previously?

Sunderland fans may recall that VAR was previously in operation during the club’s League One play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley. On that occasion, the technology was available but ultimately went unused in any major incidents. To date, that remains the only competitive fixture in Sunderland’s history where VAR has been in place.

What has Le Bris said about the play-off final against Sheffield United?

Régis Le Bris hailed Sunderland’s campaign as a tremendous success, regardless of the outcome at Wembley — but insists his squad are fully focused on finishing the season in the best way possible.

The head coach is under no illusions about the challenge that awaits in the Championship play-off final, with opponents Sheffield United amassing 92 points during the regular season, despite starting with a two-point deduction, and cruising past Bristol City 6-0 on aggregate in their semi-final.

Following their dramatic and exhausting two-legged win over Coventry City, Sunderland’s players and staff were given Wednesday off to recover. Preparations for the Wembley showdown will begin in earnest when they return to the training ground on Thursday.

“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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