Every Change Made to VAR for the 2024/25 Premier League Season
The start of the 2024/25 Premier League season is almost upon us. Players and managers have changed over the summer, but one thing that’s less talked about before a ball is kicked are the alterations in the rules.
VAR has been a huge talking point since its introduction in the English game and will continue to be scrutinised throughout the upcoming campaign. The rule-makers have tweaked how the technology has been used in the past, mostly to no avail.
It’s a difficult system to master, but there have been a further five changes to how the rules will be implemented with the help of video technology this term. The tweaks in question have all been briefed to clubs, managers and players, but it’s just as important for fans to be aware of what’s happening when they’re watching along, either from home or inside the stadium.
VAR Changes For New Season
They will take some getting used to
Per The Telegraph, a new ‘referee’s call’ rule will be brought into play for the new season. This will emphasise the need for VAR officials to only step in to overturn the on-field referee’s decision in the case of a ‘clear and obvious error’.
Decisions will also be expected to be made in a shorter space of time. The introduction of semi-automated offside technology will eventually make a significant difference in this regard. The semi-automated system, which was seen at Euro 2024 in the summer, will first need to go through stress testing before being rolled out.
There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding added time at the end of a game in recent times, but a new 30-second allowance for teams to celebrate goals they’ve scored will be brought in to attempt to reduce the length of additional periods. This is to avoid player burnout due to playing far too many minutes each week.
checking VAR
One of the biggest sources of frustration for match-going supporters since VAR’s introduction has been the feeling of being left in the dark about ongoing decisions. To keep fans in the crowd in the loop, replays will be played on the big screens at all Premier League stadiums and explanations will accompany the footage. The Premier League have also set up an X account dedicated to explaining VAR and refereeing decisions.
Finally, players and managers have been warned about their public criticisms of VAR. While the frustration can be understandable at times, PGMOL are keen to avoid officials being on the receiving end of a pile-on in the event of a misjudged decision.
More Premier League Rule Changes
Six additional regulations have been altered
Away from VAR, there will be six further alterations to the Premier League rulebook for the 2024/25 campaign. One regulation that will overlap with the new VAR stipulations will be how the stoppage time is calculated at the end of a game.
Additionally, the handball rule, which is ever-changing, has gone through yet another facelift. It will take some time for those on the pitch and watching on to get used to the new rules in Premier League football going forward, but they are all geared towards a better game for all involved.
