Premier League clubs to vote on scrapping VAR in June

A new proposal will be submitted at the Premier League clubs' Annual General Meeting (AGM) next month.

Wolverhampton Wanderers want the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) scrapped from the division from next season.

The proposal will reportedly be put up for a vote on June 6 when all the 20 top-flight members meet.

Wolves have argued that the VAR, which was first used in England in 2019, might have been 'introduced in good faith' but has had 'numerous unintended negative consequences' and has affected the 'spirit of our game'.

For the proposal to pass, at least 14 clubs, which represents two-thirds, have to vote in its favour.

Why Wolves want VAR scrapped

In Wolves' letter, as reported by the Athletic, the club argued that the VAR has affected goal celebrations, removing the spontaneity that makes football special. They also said the long checks have also contributed to fans' frustration and confusion in the stadium.

In March, West Ham United were denied a potential winner against Aston Villa with the VAR check on a Tomas Soucek handball taking a staggering five minutes and 37 seconds.

Premier League clubs will be asked to vote on the possible abolition of VAR for next season 🚨pic.twitter.com/TEq70GemE8

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 15, 2024

Sky Sports reports that the Premier League will oppose the proposal, and preliminary feelings are that many clubs will support it. The report further states that the correctness of the VAR class has improved from 82% to 96%.

Wolves have been one of the most hard-hit clubs by incorrect VAR decisions this season. In their opening game of the campaign, Andre Onana's foul on Sasa Kalajdzic was left unchecked. Head coach, Gary O'Neill, later confirmed that Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) had apologised to him over the incident.

All PGMOL apologies in 2023

Sports Brief has also previously taken a look at all the other times PGMOL offered an apology after a mistake in the use of the VAR system.

The greatest controversy of the season was when a valid Luis Diaz goal against Tottenham Hotspur on September 30 was ruled out as offside.

Liverpool ended up losing the game 2-1, with Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones also getting sent off after protesting against the VAR official's ruling.