Will the VAR system be scrapped from the Premier League?

If you were to search for "VAR controversy" on any search engine, a deluge of pieces featuring resentment, conspiracy theories and sensational scandal would be at your fingertips. The same sentiment echoes through match analyses, football podcasts and even the post-match interviews of managers and players. What initially seemed like a straightforward concept of leveraging technology to improve refereeing decisions has evolved into a complex issue, yielding a surplus of unwanted headlines.  

It's no surprise, then, that Premier League clubs are poised to vote on the potential removal of video assistant referees (VAR) from the upcoming season at their annual general meeting next month. Wolves, having formally submitted a resolution to trigger the vote, assert that while VAR was implemented with good intentions, it has inadvertently resulted in numerous negative consequences that have strained the bond between fans and the beautiful game of football.  

"After five seasons of VAR in the Premier League, it is time for a constructive and critical debate on its future. Our position is that the price we are paying for a small increase in accuracy is at odds with the spirit of our game, and as a result we should remove it from the 2024-25 season onwards," read a Wolves statement. The passage of the resolution requires the support of at least 14 of the 20 member clubs.

Wolves have put forth a series of reasons in support of their resolution, stating that VAR is currently inadvertently "undermining the value of the Premier League brand." They argue that this "erosion of trust and reputation" has given rise to "nonsensical allegations of corruption." 

VAR: a sitting duck

Several Premier League managers, including Wolves' own Gary O'Neil, have been openly critical of VAR and refereeing standards throughout the season. In fact, O'Neil was handed a one-match touchline ban in April for his behavior near the referee's room following a match against West Ham, wherein Wolves had a late equalizer disallowed after a VAR review.  

Wolves chairman Jeff Shi also voiced concerns about the role of VAR after the West Ham game, insisting that the club would have occupied a higher position in the league table "if it wasn't for a number of incorrect or contentious decisions."

Nottingham Forest expressed their strong dissatisfaction with the VAR official in a scathing statement on social media. This came after three penalty appeals were dismissed during their 2-0 loss to Everton last month. An independent Key Match Incident Panel subsequently ruled that Forest should have been awarded at least one penalty from their three unsuccessful appeals.

One of the most notable VAR errors occurred in October when Luis Diaz's goal for Liverpool against Tottenham was incorrectly disallowed for offside. The Premier League acknowledged that this incident exposed "systemic weaknesses in the VAR process" and immediate actions were taken to address the issue and "implement key learnings."

What next?

While it is evident that some teams have experienced frustrations with VAR this season, the Premier League holds the belief that removing VAR would lead to an increase in incorrect decisions and potentially subject the on-field officials to even harsher criticism than they currently face.  

"Clubs are entitled to put forward proposals at shareholders' meetings and we acknowledge the concerns and issues around the use of VAR," said a Premier League spokesperson on Wednesday. "However, the league fully supports the use of VAR and remains committed, alongside Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), to make continued improvements to the system for the benefit of the game and fans."

The league has released mid-season statistics that reveal a significant improvement in decision accuracy since VAR was introduced in 2019, with the figure rising from 82 percent to an impressive 96 percent.

Furthermore, there have been fewer interventions by VAR this season compared to the previous one, along with a decrease in overall VAR errors, including instances where VAR should have intervened but did not. The Premier League acknowledges that some VAR decisions have taken too long, and they recognize that the fan experience has not met expectations.

To address these concerns, Howard Webb, the referee's chief, intends to enhance communication within the stadium. Starting from next season, it is likely that referees will be allowed to publicly explain the reasoning behind VAR overturning a decision.

However, the sluggishness in implementing these changes may contribute to the growing discontent, as fans have been eagerly awaiting more substantial improvements to the VAR experience.