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Damning stats emerge as FSA survey finds that 75% of fans oppose VAR in Premier League

Damning stats emerge as FSA survey finds that 75% of fans oppose VAR in Premier League, but will they go unheard again?

It’s a subject that has divided opinion since its being introduced in 2019 and the Football Supporters Association has released figures on the use of VAR in the Premier League.

James Green said to Sky Sports News:  “8,000 fans asked to participate in this poll, over half of them are match-going fans that have gone to over 15 home games of seasons.

“These are fans that are actually really a fundamental part of football and look 97% disagree on the statement, does VAR make football more enjoyable? 76% disagree and do support the use of VAR.

“And this is quite damning as well. Are decisions reached in a reasonable time 3%, only 3% say yes they are.

“These stats not great viewing for the governing body who are supporting VAR. These are match going fans and at the moment they’re having their say right now on what they think about VAR.”

Transcribed with the help of TurboScribe!

On the positives from VAR to be welcomed by this, he replied: “Absolutely there is and the amount of time it’s taken we’re saying there’s not happy with but actually the stats from the Premier League and PGMOL say that they’ve reduced that stat so it’s reduced from I think 64 seconds to 48 seconds now to make a decision on average so it is good.

“But as regards the fans and what they’re happy with and you know there’s certainly goal line technology for example has been a overriding success it’s been perfectly well 93%, I’m very surprised that there’s still 7% missing from that because that’s just a fundamental part of the game is there a goal is there no goal.

“But a Football Support Association surveyors 93% believe this has been a good introduction and another one actually to throw in there from the poll was the use of in-game communication actually over half of those participants said that’s been a positive thing especially those who are in the stadium because that’s certainly something they feel they miss out on.

“I think it could go further from my perspective as a fan as well I think if you go to the game I think if you’re a player you kind of want to know what’s going on with VAR but that introduction certainly has proved to be positive with supporters.”

FSA STATEMENT:

Three-quarters of fans don’t support the continued use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) in the Premier League, according to a new Football Supporters’ Association survey.

Almost 8,000 fans of top-flight clubs responded to the FSA’s survey, more than 6,000 of whom had experienced a VAR decision in a stadium this season.

When asked ‘taking all things into consideration, do you support the use of VAR in football?’ 75.7% of fans replied ‘No’.

86% of fans also expressed concerns about expanding VAR beyond its current remit.

Goalline technology – by which an almost-instant decision is transmitted to the referee to indicate whether the ball has crossed the line – retains widespread support, with 93% of fans in favour of keeping it.

Other stats:

More than nine in ten fans (91.7%) said VAR had removed the spontaneous joy of goal celebrations;

Only 3.3% of fans stated that the matchgoing experience is better with VAR;

The majority (58%) of fans wanted to retain the in-stadium announcements from referees;

A hypothetical challenge system, whereby VAR interventions would be limited per game, had the support of almost half (47.2%) of supporters;

Only one in five fans (20.8%) said they backed the expansion of VAR to check if corners had been correctly awarded.

The FSA’s Premier League network manager Thomas Concannon said: 

“These findings back up the FSA’s previous survey in 2021, where fans expressed misgivings about the introduction of VAR.

“The vast majority are reporting the same concerns five years on – the loss of spontaneity when celebrating goals, and an overall worsening of the matchgoing experience.

“We have shared the survey results with the Premier League and PGMO, and look forward to discussing its findings with them.”

The majority of those surveyed regularly attend matches – 50.3% attended more than 15 home games in a typical season, and 86.7% said they attended at least one home fixture. More than half (59.9%) attend at least one away match per season.

There was a mix of ages surveyed: 14.1% were under the age of 35; 64.2% were between 35 and 64; 20.7% were over the age of 65.

The survey was conducted online between 26th February and 23rd March 2026.

This is the social media reaction after damning stats emerge as a FSA survey finds that 75% of fans oppose VAR in Premier League…

@dan_villafan: The problem is with how it’s used. It’s supposed to correct clear and obvious errors but seems to take several minutes splitting hairs to decide if a player is offside by a nostril or baby toe. As a match-goer, I’m sick of celebrating but then seeing the purple screen of doom.

@bco268: Should be used like the NFL where a manager has to challenge the decision and if they’re wrong they lose a sub or something.

@CaptainDeeg: The tech is fine, it’s the people using it that are the problem. If it takes more than 20 seconds to look at something then it’s not clear and obvious and the on field decision should stand.

@OkidokieMate: Well they can go back to watching football where the ref has full control, because that went so well in the FA Cup with Villa vs Newcastle 👍 VAR isnt great but it’s only because it’s not being used properly by incompetent referees. Rather VAR then giving these refs full control

@Rory_Talks_Ball: These numbers are absolutely damning. Any other industry if you had customer feedback this negative on a new product/feature there would be bedlam internally working to fix it. Yet with football, we just seem stuck with it, effectively being told: “Yeah you think you don’t like it but actually you do like it and you just need to realise that”

@GrumpyDad3: Erm… I hate to say we told you so, but we cowing well told you so! But we were voted down 19 – 1. You wanted it. You’re stuck with it. We’ll be in the EFL next year. No sodding VAR!! Wolves, ay we?

@djclederman: When are we going to be grown ups and accept officials make mistakes just the same as players and managers? It’s part of the game. It’s still part of the game even with VAR. So what is the point? Goal line tech yes. Offside freeze frame it, no lines, naked eye, 10 secs to call it

@BrettMendoza_: My biggest gripe is it takes away the whole point of going to football. Celebrating goals. Just as bad is fans in the stadium have no idea what’s going on, have to ask people on WhatsApp, watching on TV what’s happening. It also does everything possible to disallow goals. Wrong

@ste__83: Needs a proper referendum on scrapping it completely, match going supporters only (each club holds this info so no excuse). VAR yes or no? They won’t though cuz it keeps too many of the old boys club in cushy employment

@EvoTriCoach: @FA_PGMOL Just ditch it. It’s shite. It’s spoiled football, it’s allowing the game to be re reffed, They still get it badly wrong, issue apologies weekly. There’s no point in having it. It’s made the prem WORSE, un enjoyable. Games that have no VAR seem to flow better!

@timstillman_: Quite simply, there is no good way of using it in football. Every suggestion you can think of has a host of unintended consequences. Various levels of implementation have been tried and all of them make people angry and unhappy. I will get a host of replies to this with a load of suggestions, a load of people saying ‘oh it’s not the technology it’s the people’ (totally irrelevant, the complaint is not the efficacy of the technology but its consequences on the game and you’re just surfacing an unsolvable problem anyway). Abolish.

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