Premier League to publish verdicts on referee and VAR decisions

The Premier League plans to disclose the judgments made by the Key Match Incidents Panel (KMI Panel) regarding referee and Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions for the first time this season. This move is part of three initiatives aimed at enhancing transparency, alongside publishing direct explanations of officials' decisions and broadcasting RefCam, which includes audio of referees communicating with players.

The five-member KMI Panel, comprising three former players and coaches, a Premier League representative, and a representative from the referees' body Pro Ref, meets weekly to evaluate incidents such as goals, penalties, and red cards. The panel assesses decisions in light of the laws of the game and Premier League expectations for refereeing.

While they consider all available data, the panel is limited by IFAB's refusal to permit live broadcasting of VAR discussions. The KMI Panel's findings from last season reveal 25 VAR errors, an improvement from 31 in the previous year. The panel's decisions are based on a simple majority vote, with the referee's initial call and the VAR's assessment factored in.

The panel's reports, which will be published on the Premier League's official channels, will provide insights into the rationale behind specific decisions, including explanations from the referees and VAR.