London: More than 75 percent of Premier League fans are against the continued use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR), according to a survey released by the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA).
The survey, conducted online between February 26 and March 23, gathered responses from nearly 8,000 supporters of top-flight clubs. Results showed that 75.7 percent of fans do not support VAR in football, while 91.7 percent said the technology has diminished the spontaneous joy of celebrating goals.
“These findings back up the FSA’s previous survey in 2021, where fans expressed misgivings about the introduction of VAR,” said Thomas Concannon, Premier League network manager at the FSA. Concannon added that the survey results have been shared with the Premier League and Professional Game Match Officials Limited, and that further discussions are expected.
Despite ongoing criticism from supporters, Premier League clubs voted in June 2024 to retain the use of VAR. At the time, the league stated that while VAR contributes to more accurate decision-making, improvements were necessary to enhance the experience for both players and fans.
Extend of dislike
The extent of dissatisfaction with VAR appears significant, with the Football Supporters’ Association survey covering fans from all 20 Premier League clubs. Most respondents are regular attendees, with over half stating they go to at least 15 matches each season.
Additional findings from the survey highlight widespread concerns:
- 72 percent of fans do not agree that VAR has improved the accuracy of refereeing decisions
- 74 percent feel that explanations for VAR decisions lack clarity
- 86 percent are concerned about the potential expansion of VAR’s role in the game
- 72 percent oppose using VAR to review whether corners are correctly awarded
- 52 percent are against using VAR to assess second yellow card decisions, both of which are set to be introduced at this summer’s World Cup
Overall, the data reflects deep-rooted scepticism among fans about both the current use and future expansion of VAR in football.
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