No transparency and honesty in using this technology
The introduction of VAR into football was initially seen as a game-changer. Many believed that VAR would modernise the contemporary game by improving decision-making, increasing transparency, and making football fairer overall. It was viewed as an important step in integrating technology into the sport. Across the football world, VAR was welcomed with optimism. Fans accepted that it might occasionally delay the game, but they strongly believed it would lead to more accurate decisions and fairer outcomes.
However, commentators and pundits were more cautious about its introduction. Many argued that VAR would drastically slow down matches and still fail to provide decisions that everyone considered justified. Despite these concerns, football authorities moved forward with its implementation.
When VAR was introduced at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, it initially appeared to be a success. Fans believed controversial incidents such as Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal against Germany in the 2010 World Cup would no longer happen. Clear penalties and major decisions could now be reviewed rather than being completely dependent on the judgment of on-field referees.
Although VAR slowed the game down at times, it created the perception that justice would ultimately prevail if mistakes were made during matches. During that World Cup, many felt that the majority of VAR decisions were accurate, leading supporters to believe the technology should also be introduced into domestic and continental competitions.
Following the tournament, VAR was gradually implemented across national leagues and regional competitions. Organisations such as PGMOL expanded their responsibilities to manage the use of VAR, while the UEFA Referees Committee extended its oversight to improve transparency in European competitions. The Premier League introduced VAR as an additional layer of officiating, almost as a “third eye” for referees.
In its first season, VAR received mixed reviews, but many fans remained hopeful that the system would improve over time. Instead, for many supporters, it seemed to become more controversial with each passing season.
Domestic and continental matches were increasingly overshadowed by debates over inconsistent decisions, and the transparency and trust that VAR was supposed to bring gradually began to disappear. For many clubs, particularly smaller teams, VAR has become a source of frustration, with supporters believing they frequently suffer from poor or inconsistent decisions.
One of the major problems is the inconsistency within football’s laws themselves, especially regarding handball interpretations, which often appear to change from season to season. While referees may deserve some leniency because of the complexity of the rules, many fans argue that VAR still takes far too long to make relatively straightforward decisions.
Offside calls, for example, should theoretically take only a minute or two to confirm, yet reviews often drag on much longer. In some Premier League and UEFA matches, decisions can take five or six minutes, with referees then spending additional time reviewing pitch-side monitors before reaching a final verdict.
There is also a growing perception among rival supporters that bigger clubs benefit more from VAR decisions than smaller teams. Some fans, for example, argue that Arsenal benefited from key moments during their title challenge due to favourable VAR decisions or a lack of intervention during controversial incidents. Whether true or not, these perceptions have further damaged trust in the system.
For many supporters, VAR is now harming the spirit of football rather than improving it. Critics argue that instead of modernising the game, VAR risks creating disengaged fans who are increasingly frustrated by delays, inconsistency, and confusion.
If the technology is to survive in the long term, many believe it must become faster, more transparent, and significantly more accurate. Otherwise, there is a growing feeling among sections of the football community that VAR may eventually be removed from the game altogether.
