UEFA's head of referees Roberto Rosetti has announced a shift in the approach to video technology, aiming to reduce the number of interventions and restore authority to on-field referees.
UEFA is making significant changes to how VAR technology is used, with the main goal of reducing the number of interventions from the video room and restoring authority to on-field referees. Following talks with leaders of Europe's top leagues and the International Football Association Board (IFAB), UEFA's head of referees Roberto Rosetti announced this change.
The reason for the changes lies in growing dissatisfaction with lengthy video reviews and the analysis of situations down to the finest detail. UEFA intends to use VAR only in cases where there is an unequivocal and obvious error, not as a means to re-analyze every touch on the pitch.
Rosetti was direct in his message, stressing that no one is currently satisfied with VAR's impact. "We are aware that no one is currently satisfied with VAR's impact. We want to avoid dissecting microscopic situations. This is football, not PlayStation. The referee must lead the match, and technology must only be used for clear and obvious errors," said the head of UEFA's referees, as reported by Sport Klub.
Particular consideration was given to how long VAR checks take. According to UEFA, a review exceeding 90 seconds seriously harms the pace and credibility of the match. In the new system, when a referee goes to the monitor, they first look at the freeze-frame of the contact itself, then a slow-motion replay at half speed, and then the situation in real time. The intention is to see the full context of the incident, not just to look for a detail that could influence the decision.
Data from the 2025/26 season shows how much VAR usage varies across European competitions. In the Champions League, a penalty for handball was awarded on average once every seven matches. In France's Ligue 1, that average was 9.27 matches, Italy's Serie A had 10, Spain's La Liga 10.56, while Germany's Bundesliga recorded 10.93. In England's Premier League, such situations were awarded the least often, roughly once every 17.27 matches.
Differences also exist in terms of VAR interventions themselves. The Premier League had an average of 0.29 interventions per match, while the Champions League had an average of 0.47 interventions per match.
Gazzetta dello Sport also writes about the revolution of the new head of referees who takes on a key role in implementing these changes. His approach emphasizes using VAR only for clear errors and bringing the referee back to the center of action.
To further clarify to clubs, players, referees, and fans when VAR should intervene, UEFA has launched a publicly accessible educational portal called "Clear Line." It is a collection of video examples that explains the criteria for VAR interventions related to penalties, red cards, attacking fouls, and mistaken identity.
UEFA has also confirmed changes to the VAR protocol in official documents for the 2026/27 season, including the possibility of reviewing a clearly incorrect corner kick decision, but only if the decision can be corrected immediately without stopping play. The message is clear: technology remains a key element of modern football, but VAR should correct obvious errors, not turn every match into a multi-minute study of replays.
