75% of fans oppose VAR in Premier League, says FSA
Why it matters: The overwhelming fan rejection of VAR signals a major disconnect with the Premier League's stance, demanding urgent reevaluation.
- 75% of Premier League fans oppose VAR, with 90% believing it hasn't improved the matchday experience and 91% feeling it harms goal celebration spontaneity, according to an FSA survey of nearly 8,000 supporters.
- The Premier League acknowledges the importance of minimizing VAR's impact on supporters but states its own research indicates fans are largely in favor of keeping VAR, provided its usage is improved.
- FSA's Thomas Concannon highlights fan frustration over VAR's time consumption, accuracy issues, and reduced spontaneity, arguing it detracts from the essence of football's special moments.
- A significant majority of fans (72%) disagree that VAR has made refereeing more accurate, and 74% find the reasoning behind VAR decisions unclear, with 86% worried about its expanding remit.
A new survey by the Football Supporters' Association (FSA) reveals a staggering 75% of Premier League fans want VAR removed, citing negative impacts on matchday experience, goal celebration spontaneity, and refereeing accuracy. This directly contradicts the Premier League's own research, which suggests fans largely favor keeping VAR but improving its implementation.
