Left in the dark: Will fans ever hear live VAR audio?
Almost 10 years into VAR, match-going fans at Old Trafford and Selhurst Park remain in the dark while television viewers get answers.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- 74,161 fans at Old Trafford were unaware the offside check involved Enzo Fernandez
- Television viewers instantly learned the details of Manchester City's 1-0 win
- IFAB and FIFA remain opposed to fully rolling out live VAR audio during matches
- Howard Webb has pushed for transparency, but regulatory hurdles continue to stall progress
Refereeing decisions in top-flight English football continue to spark intense debate, leaving match-going fans feeling like second-class citizens compared to television audiences who enjoy immediate context and commentary.
A prime example occurred during Manchester City's 1-0 win, where 74,161 supporters inside Old Trafford had no idea that referee Michael Oliver's check for Erling Haaland's goal actually involved Enzo Fernandez in the build-up. While television viewers were fully informed of the situation, those inside the stadium were kept completely in the dark.
The issue extends beyond single incidents. During Crystal Palace's 3-2 defeat to Ipswich Town, Chelsea loanee Axel Disasi stood on the touchline for over a minute awaiting a red card review for serious foul play, leaving fans at Selhurst Park equally uninformed about the ongoing communication.
When Howard Webb took charge of the Premier League referees in 2022, he promised greater openness. Notable strides have since been made, including the Match Officials Mic'd Up television show, referee announcements inside stadiums, and the recent introduction of RefCam with live audio.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The hesitation to broadcast live VAR audio stems largely from IFAB and FIFA's concerns over the subjective nature of football decisions, potential pressure on officials during live reviews, and the risk of undermining referee authority during chaotic on-field discussions. Unlike sports such as rugby where audio is routinely broadcast, football's lawmakers remain cautious about opening up real-time audio feeds to a global audience.
Webb's background offers unique insight, having overseen Major League Soccer when it became the first league to publicly share VAR audio in 2019. In August 2020, during the MLS is Back Tournament, Webb even oversaw the only live broadcast of VAR audio during matches to date, though the experiment was never repeated elsewhere.
While the Premier League has innovated in certain areas, other European competitions have outpaced it in speed of transparency. Spain's La Liga, for instance, publishes VAR audio and video of subjective interventions on social media just hours after the final whistle, contrasting with the Premier League's monthly review cycle.
Source: BBC Sport
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