VAR check of eight minutes puts new technology on hold in Premier League

In early March, an issue with the system led to an unintended record-breaking VAR check during the FA Cup Round of 16 match between Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The review lasted a staggering eight minutes, significantly delaying the game before the VAR finally ruled on the disallowed goal by former AZ Alkmaar player Milos Kerkez.

The goal was ruled out for offside, a decision that should have been automatically detected by the semi-automated offside technology (SAOT). However, due to the penalty area being overcrowded, the system was unable to function properly, leaving match officials struggling to make a final decision. When the technology was first announced, it was promoted as a game-changer, designed to speed up decision-making and eliminate human error in offside calls. The FA initially claimed that the system would be able to deliver offside rulings in under 30 seconds, drastically reducing VAR intervention times and improving the flow of the game. Instead, the eight-minute delay turned into a major embarrassment for the English Football Association (FA) and Premier League organizers, leading to immediate concerns about the system's reliability.

Following this controversial incident, the FA and Premier League officials decided to pause the rollout of the technology in England’s top flight. The system will continue to be tested in the FA Cup, but its introduction into the Premier League has been postponed indefinitely. This decision comes as a disappointment for many who had hoped that semi-automated offside technology would help resolve the ongoing VAR controversies in the Premier League.

The Eredivisie has also opted not to implement the system at this stage. Instead, Dutch match officials continue to rely on the Hawk-Eye system, where the VAR and their assistant manually draw offside lines to determine whether a player was in an illegal position when the ball was played. This method, while widely used, has been criticized for its inconsistencies and margin of error, especially in tight offside calls.

Meanwhile, the Premier League will resume on April 1, still without semi-automated offside technology. As the season enters its final stretch, Liverpool, under new manager Arne Slot, holds a commanding twelve-point lead at the top of the table. With just a few months remaining in the campaign, the Reds are on course for another Premier League title, barring a dramatic collapse in form. Their next match is the highly anticipated Merseyside Derby against Everton at Anfield, a fixture that could further strengthen their grip on the title race.

While Liverpool and their rivals focus on the battle for silverware, the debate over VAR and offside technology continues to dominate discussions across English football. Fans, pundits, and club officials remain divided on the issue, with some believing that semi-automated offside technology would bring much-needed consistency and accuracy, while others argue that delays and system failures as seen in the FA Cup controversy prove that the technology is not yet ready for full-scale implementation.

The FA and Premier League will now be under pressure to find a long-term solution to the officiating issues that have plagued English football in recent years. While semi-automated offside technology has been successfully used in Serie A, La Liga, and the Champions League, its failure in England raises questions about whether it can be adapted to the fast-paced nature of the Premier League.

For now, match officials will have to continue manually assessing offside calls, ensuring that games are not disrupted by further technological failures. However, with clubs demanding greater consistency and transparency in officiating, it is likely that discussions around VAR improvements and technology advancements will continue long after the current season ends.