The country that could be about to scrap Video Assistant Referee

Norwegian football stands poised to make a significant decision this weekend: whether to abandon Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in its top league, the Eliteserien.

The vote comes after two years of turbulent implementation, sparking debate about the technology’s impact on the game. The outcome will be closely watched internationally, given VAR’s widespread influence since its official introduction to football in 2018.

The potential rejection of VAR by a top-tier league raises questions about the technology’s efficacy and acceptance within the sport. While intended to improve accuracy in officiating, VAR has been met with mixed reactions globally, often criticised for disrupting the flow of matches and generating controversial decisions. Norway’s experience reflects these broader challenges, leading to the upcoming vote.

The Norwegian soccer federation brought in video technology in 2023, in a way some found controversial. That’s because the decision was reached before Norway’s member-run clubs could establish a unified position on whether they wanted VAR, leading to disgruntlement among some fans who felt the democratic process in the Norwegian game had been undermined.

Disillusionment increased in the early months of VAR’s adoption, with the technology taking seven minutes to decide on an offside call in one match.

Disillusionment about VAR quickly led to active protests about the use of the technology – and some were very quirky in their nature.

A match between Rosenborg and Lillestrøm was suspended – and later abandoned and restaged behind closed doors – after fans threw fish cakes and then tennis balls onto the field soon after kickoff.

In the second tier, fans of Lyn disrupted a game by throwing champagne corks onto the pitch in what was viewed as a protest against VAR.

Amid such strident anti-VAR sentiment at certain clubs, the federation agreed to set up a working group to look further into the issue.

And in a vote in January of the 32 clubs making up the top two leagues in Norway, 19 voted to scrap VAR and 13 to keep it.

A recommendation was sent to the federation to support the clubs’ majority decision and remove VAR “as soon as possible.”

The federation’s response

In a blow to anti-VAR campaigners, the Norwegian Football Association came out in favour of the technology a week later, with president Lise Klaveness saying the association acknowledged processes needed improving but wanted to retain video officials.

“The governing body unanimously concluded that the best thing for Norwegian football is to maintain and develop it,” Klaveness said. For Anders Kjellevold, chairman of the Norwegian supporters’ alliance, it felt like a betrayal, saying most people thought the vote of the top clubs would be decisive.

“If we end up with a decision where the FA decides not to listen to the affected clubs in this issue, then we are undermining club democracy and club democracy is a bulwark against many of the negative aspects of football,” Kjellevold said.

The final decision on whether to scrap VAR will be taken at a vote at the federation’s congress taking place over Saturday and Sunday.

All clubs which are active members of the federation are allowed to vote, along with leaders of the federation’s counties and members of the federation board.

A majority decision is needed either way. Anti-VAR campaigners fear many clubs who vote will end up siding with the view of the federation, as is the tradition in major decisions in order to maintain good relations with the governing body.

The vast majority of clubs which will be voting aren’t affected by VAR because the technology is used only in the top division.

Why are so many supporters unhappy?

According to Kjellevold, anti-VAR sentiment lingers because the technology “is incompatible with the intention of the game of football.” It ruins “the experience of football as a live spectator,” he said, “because it brings up these stoppages in the game, it takes away some of the euphoria of a goal, which is just vital to a game and how we live it when we use so much of our time and effort to follow the game.” Kjellevold is just as unhappy at how the whole process has been handled, chiefly how the teams most affected by VAR might not get their voices heard.

The potential impact of the vote

The result of the vote is significant on a wider level because Norway scrapping VAR might influence supporters in other countries to step up protests about the technology in an effort to remove it from their leagues.

Premier League clubs voted in June to continue using VAR after being asked to consider scrapping the technology following controversies last season.

Sweden is one of the few countries in Europe to have decided against introducing VAR to its league.