{
  "id": 1865211,
  "title": "Premier League to publish verdicts on referee and VAR decisions",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/premier-league-to-publish-verdicts-on-referee-and-var-decisions-1865211",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-19T04:41:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Adom Online",
    "slug": "adom-online",
    "url": "https://www.adomonline.com/premier-league-to-publish-verdicts-on-referee-and-var-decisions/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Premier League will disclose the judgements of referee and video assistant referee (VAR) decisions for the first time during the 2025-26 season. This move, aimed at enhancing transparency, joins other initiatives such as publishing direct explanations from officials and broadcasting RefCam with audio of referees discussing with players. Five-member Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel, comprising three former players, coaches, a Premier League representative, and a Pro Ref representative, assess every major incident from goals to red cards. They vote on each decision, considering the laws of the game and the Premier League's expected refereeing standards. The panel's findings will be published on the Premier League's official accounts, providing the rationale behind each decision. This initiative aims to increase transparency while adhering to the limits set by the International Football Association Board (Ifab), which prohibits the live broadcast of VAR discussions.",
  "summary": "The full judgements made by the Key Match Incidents Panel on referee and video assistant referee decisions will be shared with fans for the first time this season. It is one of three measures brought in by the Premier League, external to improve transparency, alongside the publishing of direct explanations of officials, and broadcasting RefCam with audio of […]",
  "key_points": [
    "Premier League to reveal referee and VAR decisions in 2025-26 season",
    "Five-member Key Match Incidents Panel assesses major incidents",
    "Findings published on official accounts with decision rationales"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The Premier League's publication of referee and VAR decision verdicts marks a significant increase in transparency, allowing fans to understand the rationale behind officials' calls.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}