This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Football Federation Australia is taking a leaf from the NRL’s book for the A-League, creating a centralised bunker facility for the Video Assistant Referee system.

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A-League boss Greg O’Rourke announced the move when releasing the season draw, which sees Adelaide United host Sydney FC in the opening match on Friday, 19 October. Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City will contest a derby at Etihad Stadium the following day.

O’Rourke said the VAR, which was introduced to the A-League last season, will be revamped. “Following an off-season review, and with the success at the 2018 Fifa World Cup, we will continue with the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system however in a new centralised facility,” said O’Rourke.

He also confirmed while the league will break for international windows on 12-20 November and 18-26 March, there will be no recess during the Asian Cup which runs from 5 January to 1 February.

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But he added the showpiece event had been taken into account in creating the draw. “The draw has been constructed in such a way that will allow a natural flow from one competition to the other from a broadcast perspective, to create a summer football schedule that will see 31 Hyundai A-League matches played in 27 days throughout,” he said.

In the three remaining fixtures in the opening round, Wellington Phoenix host Newcastle Jets, Brisbane Roar FC face Central Coast Mariners and Perth Glory take on Western Sydney Wanderers.

With Allianz Stadium out of action, Sydney FC face a derby clash with the Wanderers at the SCG in round two and will also play home games at Jubilee Oval and Leichhardt Oval. The finals series begins on the weekend of 3-5 May with the grand final to be played on the weekend of 18-19 May.