Huge VAR update! Premier League referees will explain decisions to fans during matches from next season

According to the Daily Mail, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) have given approval for officials to offer explanations in EPL fixtures following successful trials in club matches in Mexico and Portugal; with a final decision to take place at the Premier League AGM in June. If given the go-ahead, the Premier League are likely to introduce a system similar to where referees at the 2023 Women's World Cup were mic'd up and explained their decisions to the crowd after watching replays.

Premier League referees' chief Howard Webb has called for more transparency since joining PGMOL in 2022 but moving to this more open system requires the approval of top-flight teams. This is all part of a plan to improve officiating in the game and when using VAR. The report adds there are no plans to broadcast conversations between the referee and other match officials during games but audio will be available to broadcasters after matches.

Referees such as Anthony Taylor used this system in 2023 at the Club World Cup in Morocco and the trial was then extended to the men's Under-20 World Cup and the Women's World Cup later that year. IFAB reportedly gave their approval to these plans after trials in Mexico's LIGA MX division and in the Portuguese League Cup this month.

Now it remains to be seen if Premier League teams will give this proposal the green light in the summer when the vote rolls round. If approved, fans could see this in action at the start of the 2024/25 EPL campaign in August.