FSA VAR survey data

Posted on 31st March 2026

Yesterday’s FSA VAR Survey received great coverage and made clear supporter concerns with the system – a particularly acute issue for matchgoing fans. You can read the Premier League and PGMO response here. We look forward to discussing the issue with them in further detail.

Still haven’t had enough data to fill your boots? Read on then, as we have more…

(FSA note – all figures rounded to 1 decimal place, which may account for some figures not always adding up to 100% exactly.)

Who completed it?
Views on technology
VAR in stadiums
VAR on TV
Overall views on the impact of VAR
Full dataset

1 – Who completed it?

Age

Under 18 – 0.9%
18-24 – 2.6%
25-34 – 10.6%
35-44 – 19.1%
45-54 – 21.8%
55-64 – 23.3%
65+ – 20.7%
Prefer not to say – 1.0%

Clubs

The three clubs most represented among respondents were Leeds United (13.2%); West Ham United (9.0%) and Manchester United (8.1%). The three clubs least represented were Fulham (2.1%), Nottingham Forest (1.4%) and Bournemouth (1.1%).

Match attendance

Just over half of our respondents (50.3%) attend more than 15 home games in a typical season
Around one in six fans (16%) attend between six and 15 home games
One in five (20.3%) attend at least one home game
Around one in eight (13.4%) don’t attend any home games in a typical season
Four in ten (40.1%) don’t attend any away games in a typical season
Just over a third (36.8%) attend at least one away game
Around one in seven (14.3%) attend between six and 15 away games
Almost one in ten (8.9%) attend more than 15 away games in a typical season

VAR experience

Around eight out of ten (81.2%) had experienced a VAR decision in-stadium this season and (80.7%) an in-stadium announcement from a referee over the PA system. Almost everyone (98.1%) had experienced a VAR decision when watching on TV.

2 – Views on technology

Respondents were given the option to strongly or somewhat support/oppose various aspects of technology and VAR uses in the Premier League, as well as an option for neither support nor oppose, which have been removed from the data below.

Support for retaining technology in the Premier League

Goal-line technology – 93% support; 5.4% oppose
In-stadium announcements of decisions by the referee – 58% support; 22.6% oppose
VAR reviews for red card decisions – 51.3% support; 42% oppose
VAR reviews for offsides leading to goals – 39.3% support; 55.3% oppose
VAR reviews for fouls/handballs in the build-up to goals – 27.5% support; 65.2% oppose

Support for hypothetical or proposed aspects of technology to be introduced in the Premier League

A challenge system, whereby VAR interventions would be limited (eg: 2 per game, per team) – 47.2% support; 43.2% oppose
VAR to check if second yellow cards have been correctly awarded – 39.9% support; 51.9% oppose
VAR to review if corners have been correctly awarded – 20.8% support; 72.1% oppose

3 – VAR in stadiums

Respondents were given the option to strongly or somewhat agree/disagree with various statements relating to their experience of VAR within a stadium this season, as well as an option for neither agree nor disagree, which have been removed from the data below.

Only those supporters who had indicated they had experienced a VAR decision in-stadium this season were shown these statements.

The on-screen messaging is clear- 30.3% agree; 52.2% disagree
The PA announcements are clear and easy to understand – 25.5% agree; 55.7% disagree
The decision(s) are displayed/replayed on screens for a sufficient time – 17.9% agree; 62.6% disagree
When decisions are made with the use of VAR the reasons for them being given are clear – 13.3% agree; 74.1% disagree
VAR decisions are generally resolved within a reasonable amount of time – 2.9% agree; 95.7% disagree
VAR makes watching football more enjoyable – 2.1% agree; 94.1% disagree

Referees on the PA

Those fans who had experienced a decision in-stadium announced by a referee over the PA system were asked to indicate their level of agreement with the following statements

The addition of announcements by the referee is an improvement from before – 45.1% agree; 36.1% disagree
The sound system in-stadium makes it easy to hear the referee – 31.7% agree; 49.9% disagree
The announcements make the decision and the reasons behind it clear – 30.4% agree; 49.9% disagree

4 – VAR on TV

Respondents were given the option to strongly or somewhat agree/disagree with various statements relating to their experience of VAR when watching on TV, as well as an option for neither agree nor disagree, which have been removed from the data below.

Only those supporters who had indicated they had experienced a VAR decision on TV this season were shown these statements.

The on-screen messaging is clear – 39.0% agree; 40.4% disagree
The decisions are replayed for a sufficient time – 37.2% agree; 41.6% disagree
The on-screen process is easy to understand – 33.0% agree; 47.5% disagree
Commentators are able to explain what is going on – 30.2% agree; 53.9% disagree
Commentators have a good understanding of the laws of the game surrounding a decision – 29.5% agree; 50.9% disagree
VAR decisions are generally resolved in a reasonable amount of time – 2.8% agree; 94.7% disagree
VAR makes watching football more enjoyable – 2.6% agree; 92.4% disagree

5 – Overall views on the impact of VAR

Respondents were given the option to strongly or somewhat agree/disagree with various statements around the impact of VAR since its inception into English football in 2019-20, as well as an option for neither agree nor disagree, which have been removed from the data below.

VAR has removed the spontaneous joy of goal celebrations – 91.6% agree; 6.2% disagree
I am concerned about the expansion of VAR beyond its current remit – 86% agree; 7.4% disagree
I prefer watching games that are played without VAR to games with VAR – 81.2% agree; 9% disagree
It is better for the game that more correct decisions are being made – 38.3% agree; 31.7% disagree
VAR has improved the overall accuracy of refereeing decisions – 18.3% agree; 71.5% disagree
The time taken over most VAR decisions has got shorter – 8.5% agree; 80.4% disagree
The match-going experience is better with VAR – 3.4% agree; 90.6% disagree

Still not had enough? You can read the full dataset here.