PGMOL acknowledges VAR error in Liverpool vs. Tottenham match, releases audio and implements reforms

Posted : 04 October 2023

The governing body responsible for England's referees, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), has publicly acknowledged that "standards fell short of expectations" and released audio recordings of a VAR discussion related to a disallowed Luis Díaz goal for Liverpool in their recent match against Tottenham Hotspur. The audio, along with a detailed account of what transpired, has been made available on the Premier League website following a comprehensive review.

In the match, Díaz believed he had scored for Liverpool, but the flag went up for offside. The VAR, Darren England, initially signaled a "goal" but later incorrectly confirmed the offside decision to the on-field officials. The PGMOL admitted this error and apologized to Liverpool.

Furthermore, PGMOL and the Football Association plan to review the practice of allowing English referees to officiate in foreign leagues shortly before domestic matches, as England and his team had done in the United Arab Emirates just 28 hours before the Tottenham Hotspur game.

The PGMOL's statement outlined key learnings from the incident to prevent future errors:

1. Emphasizing the need for efficiency without compromising accuracy in VAR decision-making.
2. Developing a new VAR communication protocol to improve clarity between the referee and the VAR team.
3. Implementing a process for the VAR to confirm the outcome with the AVAR before conveying the final decision to the on-field officials.

Additionally, PGMOL has initiated a training program focusing on process and best practices for VARs, AVARs, and Replay Operators. They are working to establish a dedicated pool of VAR specialists.

The VAR and AVAR involved in the incident have been removed from subsequent fixtures in the Premier League, and the PGMOL and The FA will assess the policy permitting match officials to officiate outside FIFA or UEFA appointments.

The PGMOL's explanation detailed that the VAR correctly checked all aspects of the goal but mistakenly communicated "check complete" to confirm the offside decision after the on-field officials had disallowed the goal. The VAR lost sight of the on-field decision, and the AVAR and Replay Operator's query came too late, as play had already restarted.

This incident prompted the PGMOL to conduct a thorough review and implement measures to reduce the risk of similar errors in the future.

PGMOL acknowledges VAR error in Liverpool vs. Tottenham match, releases audio and implements reforms

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