FSA statement: Premier League VAR vote
From the official FSA.Org website:
Today (06/01) the Premier League clubs voted 19 to 1 to retain its video assistant referee (VAR) system after Wolverhampton Wanderers brought a motion to a shareholder meeting seeking to discontinue the system’s use in the division.
Below is a statement from the FSA following the result of that vote:
Malcolm Clarke, chair of the FSA, said:
“Support for VAR has collapsed since its introduction into English football – it’s clear that in its current form it has made the match a less enjoyable experience. So much so that more than two-thirds of supporters now say they are against it.
“There’s a growing feeling from fans that the increase in decision-making accuracy is not a price worth paying for the huge impact VAR has had on the matchgoing experience.
“Enormous changes to the current system are required to improve things, particularly for supporters in stadiums. We cannot carry on like this.”
The FSA has been monitoring VAR since its introduction into the English game, regularly consulting our members and the wider football fanbase about its impact. Below are links to some of the highlights:
- 2023 National Supporters Survey: Two-thirds support VAR abolition
- 2021 VAR survey: 95% of fans say VAR makes football “less enjoyable”
‘Chelsea Supporters Group’ can also be found on X and Facebook
