English Premier League clubs have voted in favor of retaining the video assistant referees (VARs) system despite facing considerable criticism during the past season. The decision was made at the league's annual general meeting, with reports suggesting that 19 out of 20 clubs opted to keep the technology.

Wolverhampton Wanderers was the only club that supported the abolition of VAR, criticizing the system for undermining the Premier League brand due to controversial decisions in the previous season.

Introduced in 2019, VAR aimed to help referees avoid significant errors in matches. However, controversies surrounding the technology persisted throughout the 2023-2024 campaign, leading to dissatisfaction among managers and fans.

Following the vote, the Premier League acknowledged the need for improvements in the VAR system to benefit the game and supporters. Semiautomated offside technology is scheduled to be introduced in the upcoming season to streamline offside checks and enhance fan experience.

• Maintaining a high threshold for VAR.
• Reducing delays with semiautomated offside technology.
• Improving fan experience and communication.
• Enhancing VAR training for consistency and accuracy.
• Increasing transparency around VAR decisions.
• Launching a communication campaign to educate fans about VAR's role.

Semiautomated offside technology will provide quicker and more precise placement of the virtual offside line through optical player tracking. Efforts will also continue to allow live broadcasts during VAR reviews.