The Premier League has officially launched a new social media account related specifically to officiating. This new account, @PLMatchCentre on X, will explain refereeing and VAR calls in real time. The account will be in place and active for the entire 2024/25 Premier League season. The upcoming campaign is set to start on Friday, August 16, as Manchester United hosts Fulham.
Many fans have grown increasingly frustrated with VAR in England. Although the division is the cream of the crop, officiating is undeniably underwhelming. Coaches, players, and team execs have also been infuriated by VAR as well. Wolves previously attempted to ban the technology earlier this summer.
The move, however, did not work, as Wolves were the only Premier League side to vote to scrap VAR. Nevertheless, English top flight officials did concede that there are issues and will introduce officiating improvements.
One of the biggest changes is to utilize semi-automated offside technology (SAOT). The technology cuts down on frustrating delays by quickly determining whether or not a player is offside. Premier League referees will also make in-stadium announcements after VAR calls as well.
New X account will give fans near-live VAR explanations during every match
The new social media account gives fans a quicker way to learn about specific refereeing decisions. It is the first such move by Premier League officials in the history of the division. The account is also providing timely updates on all things related to officiating in the English top flight.
“The account will post factual explanations of on-pitch refereeing decisions and the involvement of the video assistant referee (VAR) including the role of technology in the decision-making process,” read a statement from the Premier League.
“In the absence of live VAR audio being broadcast, as it is not permitted in football, the Premier League Match Center will be able to rely on social media near-live information from the VAR Hub during a game.”
The Premier League Match Center in Stockley Park is essentially the main hub of the division. It has also been the home of VAR in England since 2019. Stockley Park has links with all 20 Premier League stadiums and their broadcast partners all over the globe.
Premier League fans previously had to wait days for official clarification
The move to create an official social media account to explain VAR decisions will meet applause. After all, it is a tool to help fans understand certain calls. It will also be a lot faster than the former alternative option.
Controversial Premier League VAR decisions earned explanations during the 2023/24 season by former referee Howard Webb on Match Officials Mic’d Up. The YouTube show, however, regularly came out days after the actual matches. While Webb has helped explain big VAR calls, waiting so long to hear interpretations of the rules frustrated many fans.
VAR will likely continue to be a controversial and debated topic among soccer fans. However, the Premier League is at least introducing tweaks to the system. On paper, these improve the technology’s use. A major point of contention regarding VAR is why certain refereeing decisions happen. This new social media account should improve this understanding from the fans.
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