How VAR Has Transformed Modern Football – Fairer Game or Unnecessary Disruption?

By Fakorede King Abdulmajeed | SportsX Gazette | February 9, 2025

The introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was meant to bring greater accuracy and fairness to football. Since its implementation in major leagues and international tournaments, it has influenced the game in ways that extend far beyond correcting refereeing mistakes. While some argue that it has made football fairer, others believe it has disrupted the natural flow of matches.

When VAR was introduced, it was seen as a tool that would eliminate clear and obvious errors. Referees, despite their training and experience, are prone to mistakes, especially in high-pressure moments. VAR was designed to assist in four key areas: goals, penalty decisions, direct red card incidents, and cases of mistaken identity. The logic behind it was simple—use technology to reduce controversy. But football is a game built on moments of spontaneity, and the introduction of VAR has altered how those moments unfold.

Before VAR, decisions were final, even if they were wrong. Controversial calls were debated for days, but there was a certain purity to the game’s unpredictability. Now, players often delay their celebrations, waiting for confirmation from the referee’s earpiece. A goal that sends thousands of fans into wild celebrations can be disallowed minutes later, creating an emotional disconnect. The tension that once existed in the split second a referee made a decision has been replaced by a more calculated, almost clinical process.

There is no denying that VAR has improved accuracy. Statistics show that key decisions in leagues using VAR have seen a significant increase in correctness. In the Premier League, for instance, decision accuracy has risen from around 82% before VAR to approximately 96% since its introduction. However, the application of VAR remains controversial. During the 2023-24 Premier League season, there were 64 key errors recorded, a reduction from 80 in the previous season. Additionally, VAR errors dropped from 20 to 13, reflecting an effort to improve efficiency. The average VAR delay has also been reduced from over a minute to around 40 seconds per match, helping to minimize game disruptions.

Despite these improvements, the margin for error remains, as referees still interpret incidents differently even with access to multiple replays. Handball decisions, for example, have become even more contentious under VAR, with fans struggling to understand how rules are applied from one match to another. The application of offside decisions has also sparked debate, particularly with the introduction of semi-automated offside technology in some competitions.

Another unintended consequence of VAR is the time it takes to reach a decision. Football has always been a fast-moving sport, but VAR has introduced stoppages that sometimes last several minutes. The disruption to the natural flow of the game has drawn criticism, particularly from managers and players who believe it affects momentum. A team pressing for a goal might lose its rhythm due to a lengthy review, altering the course of a match. The delays have also tested the patience of fans in stadiums, who are often left in the dark while referees make their assessments. Unlike television viewers who get access to replays, spectators inside the stadium sometimes only see a referee standing still with a finger pressed against his earpiece.

Players and coaches have adapted to VAR, but it has changed their approach. Defenders are more cautious in the box, knowing that any slight tug on an opponent’s shirt can be magnified on replay. Attackers, aware that the finest of margins can rule them offside, have adjusted their positioning. Some believe this has made the game cleaner, while others argue it has taken away part of its natural instinct. Football has always had a human element, where refereeing decisions, right or wrong, were part of the drama. VAR has reduced clear mistakes but has also added new layers of controversy.

The debate over VAR’s impact is unlikely to end soon. Some leagues and competitions have adjusted how it is used, implementing semi-automated offside technology to speed up decisions. Others have called for refinements in how handball and penalty reviews are handled. What remains clear is that VAR is not going away. Its presence in football is now part of the sport’s evolution, and while it has corrected many injustices, it has also introduced complexities that the game’s stakeholders are still learning to navigate.