17 errors have been reportedly been made.
While fans from pretty much every Premier League side up and down the land may claim to have been worst affected by VAR this season, a list of every mistake made by the video assistant system has now been revealed.
An initial list of errors was reported on by BBC Sport in January, and regular updates have been issued throughout the remainder of the season by the outlet’s football issues correspondent Dale Johnson. This report contains a combination of both.
Per these reports, there have as many as 17 errors, so far this season.
An initial 13-mistake-long list was published by BBC Sport in January, who compiled data from the PGMOL Key Match Incidents Panel (KMI), over the course of the season. This has since been updated following later reports of mistakes confirmed by the KMI panel.
The KMI panel is made up of former players, coaches, and representatives from the Premier League and Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO), who meet weekly to discuss decisions made the previous week, and conclude as and where errors are made.
It’s important to note that while the KMI panel has admitted to officials making other “on-field” mistakes, not all of these were “clear and obvious” to justify the intervention of VAR.
Take the game between Manchester United and Burnley in January for example. Around the 27th minute, Lisandro Martinez had a goal ruled out, after on-field officials ruled he had fouled Kyle Walker before scoring.
On review, the KMI panel reached the decision that the goal should have stood, but that the mistake did not meet the threshold of a “clear and obvious error,” meaning VAR was right not to intervene, even though the decision was incorrect.
Another strong example of a circumstance in which an official may make an on-field error that doesn’t qualify as a VAR error, would be in failing to award a second yellow card.
According to official Premier League rules video technology is still not permitted to intervene on second yellow offences, a rule that is set to change ahead of next season.
The below list only includes examples where the KMI panel agreed that both the on-field decision, and action taken by VAR, were in error.
Updated: Every mistake made by VAR:
- August 2025: Senesi against Liverpool
Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi was not shown a red card for a handball in the opening Premier League fixture. In replays the ball appears to clash with his hand accidentally, before he seems to purposefully bat it away from Reds’ attacker Hugo Ekitike.
VAR only looked at the first action, and so Senesi escaped without a sending off. The KMI panel have ruled this to be a mistake.
They said: “There is a secondary action by Senesi, where he moves his arm to flick the ball away, which is a handball offence. The majority feel that this was an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.”
2. August 2025: King’s goal “wrongly ruled out”
Josh King had a goal against Chelsea wrongly ruled out after it was ruled by Referee Rob Jones, after a VAR review, that teammate Muniz had made a foul in the buildup. The panel acknowledged this was an error.
They said: “Muniz has possession and Chalobah tries to step in to win the ball. This contact is normal in the context of the skill Muniz was performing.”
3. August 2025: Hugo Bueno is denied a penalty
Wolves’ clash with the Toffees was marred by a 70th minute incident. Hugo Bueno cut back into the opposing penalty area, and looked to be taken down by Iliman Ndiaye.
It was waved away by the referee, and was not deemed significant enough for a review by VAR.
Considering the stage of the season, and the Wolves form that followed, the penalty and potential equaliser could have been season-changing.
The panel said: “Bueno turns back into Ndiaye who does not make any contact on the ball. The contact made is careless and the panel felt that a penalty should have been awarded.”
4. September 2025: Nathan Collins against Man United
Bryan Mbeumo looked sure to score against his former club before he was pulled back by Nathan Collins at the crucial moment. A penalty is given but neither referee Craig Pawson nor VAR Andy Madley think there is enough in it for a red card.
The penalty is saved and Man United go on to lose 3-1.
The panel called this as an error, saying: “There is an impactful holding action by Collins which is not an attempt to play the ball. Mbuemo is clearly prevented from having a clear shot at goal.”
5. Septemeber 2025: Malo Gusto vs Brighton
A high clearance from Chelsea defender Malo Gusto collides with the head of Yankuba Minteh, causing the Brighton man to collapse holding his head.
After the referee waved away all appeals, VAR did not intervene.
The panel went on to disagree, saying: “Gusto’s foot is raised and makes clear contact with the shoulder and head of Minteh and the VAR should have intervened.”
6. October 2025: Senesi avoids red against Palace
Marcos Senesi was again lucky to avoid a red card in a clash with Crystal Palace. This time the referee was sent by VAR to look at replays on a pitch-side monitor, but he rejected the opinions of his peers, and allowed the defender to stay on the field. He reportedly stuck by his yellow card as he felt the ball was travelling away from goal.
The KMI record states that VAR was correct in this situation, but the system was powerless to overrule the on-field official.
They said: “The majority felt that Sarr was very likely to gain possession with the ability to create an obvious goalscoring opportunity.”
7. November 2025: Dan Burn on Dango Ouattara
Dan Burn appeared to stand on the toe of opposing striker Dango Ouattara, prompting an exaggerated reaction from the Bees’ forward. Those supposed theatrics are what reportedly caused the referee and VAR to look past the incident.
The panel said: “The panel were unanimous in their view that Burn commits a careless tripping offence. The panel were however split regarding the VAR outcome. Two members felt that the referee’s call should stand as the contact was glancing.”
8. November 2025: Kilman’s handball
Max Kilman conceded a penalty for West Ham against Bournemouth, dragging his hand along the floor to prevent Evanilson from shooting at goal. Both referee and VAR did not deem this sufficient for a red card or further review.
The KMI panel disgagreed, saying: “There is clear evidence that Kilman makes an additional movement with his arm to swipe the ball and in doing so this denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity.”
9. November 2025: Fabian Schar on Foden
Foden was caught late by Magpies defender Schar in the 17th minute but play was waved on. The game would go on to end 2-1 to Newcastle.
The panel ruled: “Despite Foden getting a shot away, Schar makes a reckless foul challenge. Two panellists supported the decision as contact was a consequence of the momentum of the blocking action, and not clearly reckless.”
10. December 2025: Wolves vs Man United
In a 4-1 Red Devils victory, Emmanuel Agbadou should have been penalised for deliberately moving his body and arm to block a shot.
The panel said: “Agbadou leans in towards the ball with a straight arm and his arm blocks the shot heading towards goal.”
11. December 2025: Saliba at Everton
Everton should have been awarded a penalty during their 1-0 loss to the leaders at the Hill Dickinson.
The panel said: “A late challenge where Saliba carelessly kicks Barry with no contact on the ball. Two panellists supported the on-field no penalty call as they felt there was not enough impact and a delayed reaction.”
12. December 2025: Gusto again
VAR failed to intervene and give Bournemouth a penalty after a supposed Gusto handball.
The panel said: “The panel felt that the ball hit the ‘red zone’ of his arm that was raised in an unjustifiable position.”
13. January 2026: Cristian Romero avoids a red card.
Spurs captain Cristian Romero was very lucky to avoid a sending off when he brought down Bees’ striker Igor Thiago.
The panel said: “Romero doesn’t play the ball and then brings down Thiago, who has a high likelihood of gaining control of the ball, travelling towards goal, with no covering defenders.”
14. January 2026: West Ham penalty at Wolves
VAR should have intervened to give West Ham a penalty when they played Wolves in January, according to the KMI panel.
During the match, around the 73rd minute, Tomas Soucek was challenged in the penalty area by Ladislav Krejci, in a challenge that was checked and waved away.
The KMI panel are reported by the BBC to have “felt there was mutual holding by the two players.”
The KMI panel has since ruled that Krejci committed “an extreme non-footballing action which had impact, without looking at the ball,” and a penalty should have been awarded.
15. January 2026: Chelsea ‘handball’ penalty against Crystal Palace
The Blues shoukd not have been awarded a penalty during their 3-1 win over Palace in January, according to the KMI panel via BBC Sport.
During the match, Jaydee Canvot was ruled to have blocked a goal-bound shot from Joao Pedro with his arm, after a lengthy VAR review.
The original decision of no penalty should have remained in place, instead of being overturned, according to the KMI panel.
The KMI are reported to have said: “The VAR intervention and final outcome after the on-field review, which resulted in a penalty and yellow card for a non-deliberate handball offence that denied an obvious goal, was considered to be incorrect.”
16. March 2026: Leeds penalty call against Sunderland
Leeds United should have been awarded a penalty in their 1-0 home loss to Sunderland on the 3rd of March.
Around the 16th minute, during a corner, Luke O’Nein appeared to hold and pull back Pascal Struijk.
The incident was waved away by the referee Stuart Attwel, and the KMI panel have now agreed that Paul Tierney, working on VAR, should have intervened, and called Attwel over to review the screen.
The panel added the following detail to their findings: “O’Nien is not looking at the ball, places his arms around the neck of Struijk in a clear non-footballing action and stops the Leeds United attacker from progressing towards goal”.
17. March 2025: Brighton are denied a penalty against Arsenal
Arsenal secured an important three points against Brighton and Hove Albion on April 4th, however their 1-0 victory should have been less straightforward, according to the KMI panel.
During first-half stoppage time, Mats Wieffer appeared to be brought down by Gabriel Martinelli, well within the penalty area.
The referee allowed play to continue and VAR officials did not ask Chris Kavanagh to review the incident.
This was a mistake, according to the KMI panel.
They ruled: “Martinelli is not looking at the ball, holds Weiffer into the area and prevents the Brighton player from challenging for the ball.”
Interested in reading more about VAR?
Check out the latest edition of our Premier League table with every “VAR error” removed here.
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