Football associations worldwide faced much criticism when the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) system was introduced in 2016. With time, fans gradually accepted the idea of VAR as a part of the game as confusion and mistakes in the system were addressed and improved over the years.
A new idea is about to be introduced to the game of football in which the referee will announce their VAR decision live to the audience in their mic, explaining in-game decisions, claiming that it will provide clarity for fans.
This new idea has already been tried in the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Major League Soccer. Reports suggest that we could also get to see the in-game announcements in the Premier League next season.
Former Irish referee Dermot Gallagher believes that it will be a ‘major step forward’ in an interview given to Sky Sports. He also went on to explain how it could provide transparency and clear insight into the final decision that the referee has made.