Premier League VAR Errors Reduced by 80%, Says Referees' Chief

Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), has reported a significant 80% decrease in Video Assistant Referee (VAR) errors this season in the Premier League. Webb credited this improvement to enhanced decision-making processes and quicker resolution times.

VAR, introduced to the Premier League five years ago, has consistently generated debate. In the 2023-24 season, the independent Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel recorded 31 incorrect VAR uses. Despite the controversies, Premier League clubs voted 19-1 in June to retain VAR, following a vote triggered by Wolverhampton Wanderers to scrap the system.

A survey commissioned by the Premier League indicated that 80% of fans still support VAR's presence in the league. To increase transparency, the Premier League has launched a dedicated social media channel to explain VAR decisions. However, the introduction of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT), initially planned for later in 2024, has been postponed until 2025.

Webb expressed optimism over the progress made: “We knew it was always going to do well on those clear situations… We have this independent panel… and according to the panel… there has only been two VAR errors this season compared to 10 at the same time last year."

The refereeing body has also focused on reducing the time taken to make decisions. "The average delay last season through VAR was 70 seconds per game and this year it's 25 seconds," Webb highlighted.

However, Webb acknowledged some setbacks, including a high-profile incident involving Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes. Fernandes received a red card during a match against Tottenham Hotspur, which was not overturned by VAR, despite replays showing a different angle. "I was frustrated that we didn't step in to rectify it because it was clearly wrong in my opinion," Webb admitted. The red card was later overturned on appeal.

Despite this, Webb emphasized that the system has become more efficient, with faster decisions and fewer errors, contributing to the overall improvement of refereeing in the Premier League.