Earlier this month, Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham, Brentford, Brighton, Aston Villa, and 11 others, voted to retain VAR for the upcoming season, despite acknowledged flaws. Wolverhampton Wanderers was the sole club to vote against its continuation. The Premier League will maintain the Video Assistant Referee system while implementing six significant changes to enhance its effectiveness.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has outlined six VAR amendments for the 2024/25 season:
1. Maintaining a high intervention threshold to minimize interruptions.
2. Streamlining semi-automatic offside technology to reduce delays.
3. Introducing stadium announcements following VAR-influenced decisions.
4. Enhancing VAR training to ensure consistent decision-making.
5. Improving transparency and communication regarding VAR processes.
6. Launching a communication campaign about VAR for fans and stakeholders.