REFEREES WILL ANNOUNCE the outcome of all decisions reviewed on pitchside monitors in the Premier League next season, the PA news agency understands.
The move by the English top flight follows an initial trial at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and further testing in last season’s FA Cup, Carabao Cup and EFL play-off finals.
The move is designed to provide further information to fans inside stadiums and to television viewers, with top-flight managers and clubs understood being informed about this and other law changes at ongoing meetings ahead of the new season.
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It is understood the Premier League approach will differ slightly from last season’s cup trials because factual onside and offside decisions will not be announced.
Whenever a VAR recommends the on-field official should review the decision, an announcement will be made regardless of whether the referee sticks with the original decision, or chooses to overturn it.
PA understands the announcements are set to begin with the words “after review”, before going on to provide explanation and ending with the final outcome.
The two-way discussion between referees and VARs will still not be available, as the game’s lawmaking body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) does not permit this. However, the on-field announcements of final decisions are a further step towards transparency, a key goal of Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).
The news comes after the total of VAR errors for last season was down to 18, from 31 the season before. Errors are defined as matters where, in the view of the independent Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel, VARs overturned a correct on-field decision or failed to intervene to overturn an incorrect on-field decision.
There were 35 such errors in the 2022-23 season.
The average VAR delay per match last season was 39 seconds, down from 64 in the 2023-24 season. That figure could drop further with a full season of semi-automated offside technology in use.
The Premier League has been approached for comment.
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Premier League referees to announce pitchside monitor review calls next season
REFEREES WILL ANNOUNCE the outcome of all decisions reviewed on pitchside monitors in the Premier League next season, the PA news agency understands.
The move by the English top flight follows an initial trial at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and further testing in last season’s FA Cup, Carabao Cup and EFL play-off finals.
The move is designed to provide further information to fans inside stadiums and to television viewers, with top-flight managers and clubs understood being informed about this and other law changes at ongoing meetings ahead of the new season.
It is understood the Premier League approach will differ slightly from last season’s cup trials because factual onside and offside decisions will not be announced.
Whenever a VAR recommends the on-field official should review the decision, an announcement will be made regardless of whether the referee sticks with the original decision, or chooses to overturn it.
PA understands the announcements are set to begin with the words “after review”, before going on to provide explanation and ending with the final outcome.
The two-way discussion between referees and VARs will still not be available, as the game’s lawmaking body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) does not permit this. However, the on-field announcements of final decisions are a further step towards transparency, a key goal of Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).
The news comes after the total of VAR errors for last season was down to 18, from 31 the season before. Errors are defined as matters where, in the view of the independent Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel, VARs overturned a correct on-field decision or failed to intervene to overturn an incorrect on-field decision.
There were 35 such errors in the 2022-23 season.
The average VAR delay per match last season was 39 seconds, down from 64 in the 2023-24 season. That figure could drop further with a full season of semi-automated offside technology in use.
The Premier League has been approached for comment.
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