The clubs of the Premier League They have voted in favor of maintaining the VAR for next season in the meeting held this Thursday.
The vote, which was 19 to 1 in favor of maintaining this technology, was carried out by Wolverhampton Wanderers initiative, who criticized the VAR for its errors, for taking away emotion from the game, for increasing the time of the matches and for the interruptions it produces, in addition to the lack of decision it transmits to the referees. The only club that voted in favor of its elimination was Wolves.
However, the Premier League did confirm that improvements will be made so that VAR is better used in the competition.
These include “maintaining a high standard for interventions, resulting in better consistency and fewer interruptions in the course of matches”, reducing the time of VAR decisions, thanks in part to the introduction of semi-automatic offside which already used in UEFA competitions, improve the fan experience with announcements in the stadium by the referee after a decision and, where possible, replay of the play on the screens.
We will also work with the Premier Referees Association to improve VAR preparation courses, emphasizing the speed of the process, as long as precision is maintained.
In addition, it is intended to carry out campaigns with fans to clarify the role of the VAR and also increase the transparency and communication of what happens between the VAR room and the referee, through its reproduction in television programs.
According to data from the Premier League, the elimination of VAR would cause more than 100 errors per season, while ensuring that the technology, last season, only made five errors, which represents an improvement compared to the 2022/2023 season, when it was implemented. They made 11 incorrect VAR interventions.
