SOCCER: Over 75% of fans do not support VAR in Premier League, says FSA survey

More than 75% of Premier League fans do not support the continued use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR), according to a survey by the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA).

The online survey, conducted between February 26 and March 23, received responses from nearly 8,000 fans of top-flight clubs, the FSA said.

Results revealed that 75.7% of respondents opposed the use of VAR in football, while 91.7% said the technology had taken away the spontaneous joy of goal celebrations.

“These findings back up the FSA’s previous survey in 2021, where fans expressed misgivings about the introduction of VAR,” said Thomas Concannon, FSA’s Premier League network manager.

He added, “We have shared the survey results with the Premier League and PGMO (Professional Game Match Officials Limited), and look forward to discussing its findings with them.”

The Premier League has yet to comment on the survey, Reuters reported.

Premier League clubs voted in favor of keeping VAR in June 2024, despite criticism of the technology-aided officiating system. At the time, the league acknowledged the need for improvements.

“While VAR produces more accurate decision-making, it was agreed that improvements should be made for the benefit of the game and supporters,” the Premier League said in a statement.

-Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru/Reuters