The A-League is set to become the first top division in the world to include the use of Video Assistant Referees after Football Federation Australia fast-tracked plans for its introduction this season.

On April 7 next year, Australian football will make the historic step in using video replays to rule on contentious decisions with Melbourne City's match against Adelaide United marked to be the first top-tier league game in the world to include the use of VAR.

Fairfax Media can reveal the FFA has approved an early introduction of visual technology to assist referees, ensuring every game in the last two rounds of this season will involve a video referee, as well as the finals series. The controversial leap will be a world first for a major league and follows an off-line test of the VAR system this season which the FFA, FIFA and the game's law makers – the International Football Association Board – have been mostly pleased with.

It is understood FIFA is set to approve associations using the system as of next month following the trial at the Club World Cup. The head of the A-League, Greg O'Rourke, confirmed the date has been set for the landmark use of video replays in Australian football and the FFA is undergoing the final stages of testing before going live with the VAR system.