Norway is poised to become the first European country to eliminate the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, following a vote by the nation’s leading soccer clubs on Wednesday.
In the recent vote, 19 clubs expressed their opposition to the continuation of VAR, while 13 clubs supported its retention, as reported by Norsk Toppfotball, the governing body for the 32 teams in Norway’s top two divisions. The final decision regarding VAR’s future will rest with the Norwegian soccer federation, which is expected to make an announcement in March.
Cato Haug, chairman of Norsk Toppfotball, acknowledged the mixed feelings surrounding the technology, stating, “We see that the technology has potential, but through today’s discussion and subsequent vote, we see that a majority of our clubs believe that the current version of VAR does not work well enough.” The decision reflects a growing sentiment among Norwegian fans, who have criticized VAR for disrupting the flow of matches. Meanwhile, Sweden has opted not to implement VAR for similar reasons, while Premier League clubs in England voted to retain the system earlier this year.
Related topics
