The time has arrived… Vanishing spray is to be used in Scottish football for the first time!
The SFA have confirmed that the spray which proved so popular during the World Cup will be used for the first time in Scotland during this weekend’s William Hill Scottish Cup fixtures.
The Scottish FA will introduce the spray in this weekend’s eight fifth round ties, before it is rolled out across all of the country’s senior leagues and cup competitions.
The spray is used by referees to mark the required distance of 10 yards between the ball and defensive wall at free kicks and corners.
The spray proved a big hit when it was used at its first World Cup, during the summer and it is now used in 13 countries around Europe.
Scotland’s elite referees trialled the spray at their recent winter training camp in La Manga ahead of its introduction for the second half of the season.
John Fleming, the Scottish FA’s Head of Referee Operations, said: “Vanishing spray is a simple yet effective tool which will aid our referees in their management of set piece situations.
“Based on the current application and widespread use around the world, vanishing spray will undoubtedly enhance the reputation of our game.
“We are pleased to be able to roll the spray out across our senior leagues and cup competitions and look forward to seeing the benefits from this weekend in the William Hill Scottish Cup fifth round.”
Following this weekend’s Scottish Cup matches, the Scottish FA will then introduce the spray across the SPFL, Lowland League and Highland League as well as the League Cup and Challenge Cup.