Premier League clubs to discuss abolition of VAR

The 20 English Premier League clubs will discuss a proposal to eliminate the use of VAR in refereeing decisions.

Wolverhampton have tabled a resolution that will lead to a vote at the league’s general meeting on June 6. If at least 14 of the 20 clubs vote in favor, video judging will be cancelled.

Wolves said the use of VAR “has led to numerous negative impacts that are eroding the connection between fans and football, undermining the Premier League brand.”

“The decision to table the resolution was taken after careful consideration and with the greatest respect for the Premier League, PGMOL (the body that brings together referees) and our competitors,” the club said.

“There is no one to blame – we just want the best outcome for football – and all stakeholders have worked hard to ensure the implementation of additional technology is a success.”

However, Wolves warned that “the time has come for a constructive and critical debate” about the future of VAR after five years of using the technology.

“Our position is that the price we pay for a small increase in accuracy is contrary to the spirit of our sport and we must therefore remove it from the 2024-25 season,” the club added.

The Premier League has confirmed there will be a debate at the General Assembly on the future of VAR. “We are aware of the concerns and issues around VAR,” he said.

The English league estimates that the abolition of VAR will lead to an increase in poor decisions. According to the prime minister, the number of correct decisions in matches has increased from 82% before the introduction of VAR to 96% this season.

“The League fully supports the use of VAR and remains committed to working with PGMOL to continue to improve the system for the benefit of the game and fans,” the competition said.

At the moment, the Swedish league is the only one in Europe’s top 30 that does not use VAR.