Fans attending Euro 2024 will receive more detailed information on Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions, UEFA announced on Wednesday.
Roberto Rosetti, head of UEFA’s refereeing committee, stated that stadium screens across Germany will display “technical explanations” of VAR calls to enhance spectator understanding. This move aims to address one of the major criticisms of VAR technology: the difficulty for match-going fans to comprehend the reasons behind certain decisions.
“After the video assistance, the technical explanation of the decision will be shown on the giant screens in the stadiums,” Rosetti explained at a press briefing at the Allianz Arena, ahead of the tournament opener on Friday.
Rosetti provided an example of the type of information that will be shared with fans following a VAR call: “Penalty, handball, Germany’s number nine touched the ball with his left hand, which was in an unnatural position, over his shoulder and extending away from his body.”
This initiative follows the practice from the 2023 Women’s World Cup, where officials announced decisions verbally to spectators before resuming play.
Additionally, Rosetti mentioned that referees would be able to provide explanations to team captains, while other players who challenge decisions or demand information would receive cautions. This rule was already enforced during the UEFA club competition finals, resulting in several yellow cards.
“We do this for the next generations… for football and the image of the game, for the young players and for the young referees,” Rosetti said.
For teams with goalkeepers as captains, such as Italy and Slovenia, an outfield player will be designated before the match to assume the role of communicating with referees.
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