FA confirm officiating team for Sunderland vs Sheffield United at Wembley in Championship play-off final…

The FA has announced the officiating team for the Championship play-off final between Sunderland and Sheffield United at Wembley.

Chris Kavanagh will lead the officiating team for the match scheduled for next Saturday.

As an experienced referee in the Premier League, Kavanagh will oversee this crucial fixture, which offers a chance for promotion to the top tier of English football.

He will be assisted by Lee Betts and Neil Davies, with Peter Bankes serving as the fourth official and Wade Smith as the reserve assistant referee. VAR responsibilities will be managed by John Brooks, with Timothy Wood acting as AVAR.

Sunderland fans may be concerned about Kavanagh’s history with the team, as they have not won any of the six matches he has officiated, recording five losses and one draw.

Notably, Kavanagh’s limited officiating history with Sunderland includes a series of challenging defeats, such as the significant loss to Barnsley in 2017 and the FA Cup elimination by Middlesbrough.

The Black Cats will be eager to change this trend when they take the field at Wembley next weekend.

Kavanagh, hailing from Manchester, has been a consistent presence in the Premier League since 2017, officiating numerous significant matches at both club and international levels.

Will SAOT be implemented at Wembley for the Sunderland vs. Sheffield United match?

This month’s Championship play-off final at Wembley between Sunderland and Sheffield United will feature a significant enhancement: the introduction of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) for the first time in this competition.

The match, scheduled for Saturday, May 24, holds crucial implications for both teams as they vie for a spot in the Premier League.

In addition to the high stakes on the field, supporters of both clubs should take note of this important technological advancement that may influence the game.

Last year, Premier League clubs unanimously agreed to implement SAOT, with intentions to roll it out during one of the three international breaks in the previous autumn.

However, after missing those initial deadlines, additional testing was deemed necessary.

The technology made its first appearance during the FA Cup fifth round match between Aston Villa and Cardiff City on February 28, and was subsequently trialed in three of the four FA Cup quarter-finals.

Following successful evaluations, the Premier League announced on April 1 that SAOT would be officially integrated into its matches starting April 12.

Now, as the Championship final approaches, the EFL has confirmed that this system will also be utilized for the Sunderland vs Sheffield United match at Wembley.