Premier League clubs vote to retain VAR after vote: Here's what to know about decision

Premier League clubs have voted to retain VAR for the 2024-25 season, as a motion by Wolverhampton Wanderers to abolish the video review system was roundly defeated at the league's annual general meeting.

CBS Sports understands that Wolves were the only club to vote in favor of the abolition of the system, introduced in the 2019-20 season. The past 12 months in particular have seen numerous controversies surrounding the role of video assistant referees, most notably a Liverpool goal being incorrectly ruled out against Tottenham and a penalty denied to Wolves in the opening round of games for what seemed to be an obvious foul by Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana.

Systemic issues, including the time it takes to make decisions, remain, though the latter should be addressed by the implementation of a semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) in the autumn of the 2024-25 season. The Premier League's statement acknowledged that "improvements should be made for the benefit of the game and supporters."

The league added that six areas had been the focus of discussion between its 20 clubs:

1. A high threshold for VAR intervention to deliver greater consistency
2. Reducing delays through VAR, partly through SAOT and through the high threshold
3. Improving the experience for fans in the stadium, including "an enhanced offering of big screen replays to include all VAR interventions"
4. Improved training for officials on VAR, to be implemented in collaboration with referee body PGMOL
5. Greater transparency on VAR processes
6. A "fan and stakeholder VAR communication campaign"

The league added that it will "continue to lobby IFAB [Football's lawmakers] to allow greater flexibility in the laws of the Game to allow live video and audio broadcast during VAR reviews."

It had long been expected that Wolves' proposal would fall someway short of the 14 votes required to eliminate VAR but the 19-1 margin is as near to an endorsement of the Technology as the Premier League and PGMOL could have hoped.