The Premier League hopes to introduce semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) before the end of this season, and it wants to see referees explaining VAR decisions to the crowd inside stadiums for top-flight matches by the start of next season.
It comes as the Premier League reveals a six-point plan to improve VAR, as it strives to make the system more accurate, faster and more transparent for fans.
However, after delays in testing the technology for SAOT, the Premier League says it will wait until next season if it is not entirely convinced it is reliable, or if it gets too close to the end of this season.
After 23 match rounds, the Premier League claims 100 per cent of offside decisions in the top flight have been correct. However, it wants to introduce SAOT as soon as possible to speed up the process – without reducing that accuracy.
Currently, VAR decisions are communicated to those in attendance via the PL Match Centre on the big screen
Tony Scholes, the Premier League’s chief football officer, has admitted he was worried about the reliability of the technology for semi-automated offsides for a long time – up until a breakthrough just before Christmas.
“I have to confess, given the difficulties that we had over the first few months of the season [with SAOT testing] I had severe doubts about this. But the progress made over the last four to six weeks has been significant. So, we believe we’re going to be adopting the best system and the most accurate system – without the need for the chip in the ball.
“The EFL has introduced it into the Carabao Cup this year. We will monitor it. But the operation of semi-automated offside technology does not change the integrity of the offside law. What it does is make the process more efficient. Clearly, if we’re not confident until the last two or three match rounds, I think you then arrive at a pragmatic place where you just say, it wouldn’t make sense to introduce it now. But if we’re able to introduce it in advance of that, then it’s something that we’re actively considering.”
New statistics released by the Premier League show that VAR has intervened more times up to this point this season (23 match rounds) compared with last season (70 times, compared to 61) but that is still less than one VAR intervention every three matches. Also, the statistics show there have been fewer VAR errors (13 so far, compared with 20 by this stage last season).
According to the Key Match Incident Panel, which analyses all important refereeing decisions in every Premier League match, 66 of the 70 interventions have been correct, although nine times the panel felt VAR should have intervened when it did not.
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After history was made in the Premier League with the decision not to send David Brooks off for a challenge on Marc Cucurella; we look at moments in the Premier League when referees have overruled VAR and stuck with their on-field decision
The KMI panel is made up of three former players or managers, alongside a specialist from the Premier League and one from the PGMOL.
There have been four specific mistakes, according to the KMI panel, when VAR intervened to alter a correct on-field decision. Those have been identified by the Premier League as:
- August 2024, Bournemouth vs Newcastle. Dango Ouattara’s stoppage-time header for Bournemouth was given as a goal by on-field referee David Coote but VAR Tim Robinson decided it was a “factual handball” and chalked it off, without allowing Coote to visit the replay.
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Dermot Gallagher discusses whether Dango Ouattara’s goal against Newcastle was correctly disallowed, which saw uproar after VAR denied Bournemouth a dramatic late winner.
- October 2024, West Ham vs Man Utd. Matthijs de Ligt was penalised for a foul on Danny Ings after intervention by the VAR, but it should not have been a penalty.
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Speaking on Match Officials Mic’d Up, PGMOL chief Howard Webb suggested the intervention from VAR to penalise Matthijs de Ligt for a foul on Danny Ings in Manchester United’s Premier League clash against West Ham was a mistake.
- November 2024, Everton vs Brentford. Christian Norgaard was sent off at Goodison Park following a challenge on Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford while attempting to score in the six-yard box. The VAR recommended that on-field referee Chris Kavanagh should review the incident on the pitch-side screen. Norgaard was then shown a straight red, though Brentford won their appeal.
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Speaking on Match Officials Mic’d Up Howard Webb and Michael Owen discuss Christian Norgaard’s red card for his challenge on Everton’s Jordan Pickford.
- January 2025, Southampton vs Nottingham Forest. Chris Wood was incorrectly deemed to have been interfering with play and given offside when Nikola Milenkovic scored with a header. The goal was ruled out after VAR intervention.
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Dermot Gallagher is in agreement with VAR to disallow Nikola Milenkovic’s goal against Southampton as he believes Chris Wood came from an offside position and impeded the Southampton defenders to challenge for the ball.
“We all focus on the errors that are made,” says Scholes. “We don’t remember quite so readily the 66 correct interventions. So I think it’s really important that we recognise that. I think also we should recognise that the number of VAR errors has gone down substantially from 20 to 13. In the season before, 2022-23, it was at 25. So it’s gone down substantially.
“I say this because I think it’s important that it’s absolutely right that we keep pushing these officials. We push them to be as good as they can be. But it’s also right that we acknowledge the progress that is being made.”
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Dominic Solanke’s goal was ruled out after closer inspection by VAR, with referee Stuart Attwell announcing the decision to the crowd
The Premier League’s new targets to improve VAR are as follows:
- Improve the clarity around the high threshold for VAR intervention, and make ‘referee’s call’ part of the regular football vocabulary.
- Reduce delays to the game, with SAOT introduced as soon as it is ready.
- Improve the fan experience, with clear referee announcements and replays and messaging on the big screens.
- Improve VAR training to improve decision-making.
- Improve transparency with more regular messaging for broadcasters and fans via the PL Match Centre while games are ongoing at Stockley Park.
- Develop better education and communication around VAR for fans and everyone involved with the game.
A key target for the Premier League is to allow the referee to explain VAR decisions to crowds inside stadiums as soon as possible. But Scholes says, as things stand, IFAB rules prevent it from doing so.
“Frankly, it’s not good enough [VAR communication with supporters in stadiums]. None of us here at the league believe it’s good enough, and we have a long way to go to improve it. We are constrained by IFAB. But we should improve it to the extent that we are able and authorised to do so.
“Our intention is for the referee to announce VAR decisions in the middle of the pitch from the start of next season. With regard to further VAR comms, we will continue to lobby IFAB to allow us to open up as much as we can.”
Scholes went on to say that the duration of VAR interventions has reduced significantly this season compared with previously. The average VAR check now takes 40 seconds, whereas last season it was one minute and six seconds.
