Why English Football Fans Are Falling Out of Love with VAR

When the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system was introduced to the Premier League, it was hailed as a game-changer. It promised to bring fairness, eliminate refereeing blunders, and ensure that every key decision was correct. But in 2025, the mood among English football fans has shifted dramatically. What was once seen as a technological leap forward has become one of the game’s most divisive talking points.

According to a YouGov survey from May 2025, around two-thirds of Premier League fans believe VAR is performing badly and has made football less enjoyable to watch. Almost nine in ten supporters want to see either major reform or for the system to be scrapped altogether. Just over a quarter rate it as performing well, while a mere 5.5% of match-going fans described their in-stadium experience as “good” or “very good,” according to the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA).

The Problem With VAR

Fans’ frustrations typically centre around three issues: slow decision-making, poor communication, and disruption to the match-day experience. What was once a fast, emotional game has become fragmented and clinical.

As reported by The Critic earlier this year, many supporters say VAR has “drained the emotion” from football. That once-spontaneous moment when the ball hits the back of the net has turned into a pause for confirmation. The result, fans argue, is that VAR has “taken the soul out of the game.”

The FSA’s 2025 survey found that nearly two-thirds of supporters say VAR has made attending matches less enjoyable, with the majority agreeing that the marginal improvement in accuracy isn’t worth the loss of atmosphere.

Fans Demand Change

Despite widespread dissatisfaction, most fans don’t want VAR abolished entirely; they want it to be fixed. The YouGov study revealed that 64% of supporters would keep VAR if it were reformed to improve speed and transparency. The most popular proposals included showing replays inside stadiums (82%), allowing fans to hear conversations between referees and VAR officials (79%), and imposing time limits on reviews (74%).

Calls for referees to check pitch-side monitors more often have also gained traction. According to the Football Supporters’ Association, around two-thirds of fans support that change, saying it would make decisions feel more transparent and authentic.

Meanwhile, club-level polling reflects a similar pattern. A Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust survey found that 92% of Spurs fans want VAR scrapped in its current form. Still, more than half would keep it solely for offside calls.

A Generational Divide

A 2025 Ipsos UK survey revealed a sharp divide between younger and older fans. Nearly half (48%) of supporters aged 16 to 34 believe VAR has a positive role in football or should remain in place, while more than half of fans aged 55 and over want it gone entirely.

For many older fans, VAR represents everything wrong with the modern game – overly technical, overly cautious, and emotionally detached. Younger supporters, meanwhile, tend to view it as an inevitable evolution, much like the introduction of goal-line technology many years ago.

Hope in Semi-Automation

If there’s a bright spot, it may lie in semi-automated offside technology. According to polling by the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust and Statista, around 70% of English fans would support VAR if it were limited to this faster and more consistent AI-powered system.

This sentiment is echoed by smaller fan organisations such as The Well Society and the Newcastle United Supporters’ Trust, both of which reported that over 60% of fans oppose VAR in its current state but remain open to reformed, less intrusive versions.

These findings suggest that supporters aren’t rejecting technology altogether – they want it to serve the game, not dominate it.

The Ripple Effect Beyond the Pitch

VAR’s influence now stretches beyond the touchline. ESPN UK analysis of 2024/25 Premier League decisions found that contentious VAR calls had directly affected league standings in at least six matches.

The knock-on effect has also reached sportsbook markets. For those tracking the latest Premier League odds, the unpredictability of VAR reviews can cause significant swings in live betting, with goals being “suspended” until a verdict is confirmed. What used to be a few seconds of celebration now often becomes a tense, uncertain wait.

Managers and players have also had to adjust, with BBC Sport reporting that coaches are using VAR delays to re-strategise mid-match, further changing the game’s natural rhythm.

Fans Feel Ignored

Despite growing opposition, the Football Supporters’ Association has accused the Premier League of being “in denial” about the growing unpopularity of VAR, as reported by the Morning Star. Calls for greater transparency and accountability have so far led to minimal change.

Surveys by YouGov and Ipsos show that 68% of fans believe football is less enjoyable due to VAR – a figure that has steadily increased since 2023.

What the Future Holds

There are growing signs of reform. Reports by Refr Sports and Quals.AI indicate that the Premier League is reviewing proposals to publish referee-VAR audio, display on-screen explanations in real time, and impose a 60-second limit on reviews. UEFA’s own trials of this transparent model have received positive feedback, and similar methods are expected to reach English football soon.

Experts also suggest that football could learn from rugby and cricket, where referees’ thought processes are broadcast live – an approach backed by data from Statista showing that fans associate open communication with higher trust levels in officiating.

Yet, whether these changes can repair VAR’s reputation remains uncertain. The data points to one consistent truth: fans are no longer asking for perfection – just for football to feel human again.

The roar of a last-minute goal, the disbelief of a missed chance, the instant euphoria shared between strangers – those are the things technology can’t replicate. Until VAR becomes faster, clearer and fairer, English football’s uneasy relationship with it looks set to continue.