Premier League Seeks Transparency and Efficiency in VAR Decisions

The Premier League has acknowledged that VAR decisions are causing delays and impacting the enjoyment of matches for supporters. Data from the 228 fixtures played so far this season reveals that the average game length has increased to 101 minutes and 41 seconds, which is three and a half minutes longer than last season. This is partly due to the time taken for repeated replays of key incidents and the crackdown on time-wasting by players.

Premier League chief football officer Tony Scholes has expressed concern about the negative impact of VAR on the overall fan experience. He believes that the number of VAR checks and the lack of clear communication with supporters in stadiums are affecting the reputation of VAR. Scholes acknowledges that the VAR experience for supporters is poor and calls for improvements to be made.

To address these issues, the Premier League is lobbying the International Football Association Board (IFAB) to allow VAR decisions to be more transparent and informative for supporters. The league hopes to eventually broadcast live video and audio of VAR reviews to TV viewers and fans in stadiums. In the short term, they aim to have the referee's post-VAR review decision announced publicly, as was trialled at the Women's World Cup last year.

However, Scholes also emphasizes the need for referees to be more selective in their use of video replays. VAR should only be used to review goals, penalties, red cards, and cases of mistaken identity. Scholes acknowledges that the current number of checks is excessive and the time taken for reviews is affecting the flow of the game. The league aims to improve the speed of VAR decisions while maintaining accuracy.

Despite the challenges, the Premier League states that 96% of VAR decisions are now correct, compared to 82% before VAR was introduced in 2019. However, there have been 20 errors attributed to VAR so far this season, compared to 25 in the entire previous campaign. Additionally, there have been 17 instances where VAR did not intervene when it should have and two instances of incorrect rulings.

Scholes acknowledges that VAR is not perfect and that there is work to be done. However, he believes that VAR is a very effective tool in improving the accuracy of decision-making by match officials. The league and refereeing organizations are committed to continuous development and improvement to minimize factual and subjective mistakes.