The Premier League suffers the most disruption from VAR
The Premier League is the most VAR disrupted in Europe – with 19 HOURS of delays every season, according to a study.
English fans collectively spend 1,126 minutes – the equivalent of almost 12 whole matches – waiting for referees to review video evidence in the domestic league.
In football terms, this is just under a third of the 38 games each team plays in the annual Premier League.
The league saw more interventions than the European average, with the Spanish La Liga seeing 1,086 minutes of VAR waiting time.
Italy’s Serie A fans faced a wait of 823 minutes in total, while Germany’s Bundesliga has a total delay of 604 minutes, according to the insights compiled by Snickers, in partnership with Opta, which gathered the data from the 2017-2025 seasons.
It comes after a dramatic VAR call between Arsenal and West Ham, denying West Ham a stoppage time equaliser which could have a huge impact on both the title winner and relegation battle.
Following the findings, and to help fans deal with the frustration that comes with the agonising VAR, Snickers has teamed up with former Burnley manager Sean Dyche to launch a ‘VAR Spa,’ – a tongue-in-cheek mobile wellness experience to help calm supporters down.
A short film shows Dyche taking his no-nonsense style off the touchline and into everyday settings – from a family living room to a laundrette and a café.
He also invites fans into the van, which acts as a travelling ‘relief unit’ for anyone who is hangry and losing patience during VAR checks.
Dyche said: “I’ve been around football long enough to know a long VAR check can test anybody’s patience.
“The game stops, everyone starts overthinking it, hunger kicks in and suddenly a five-second decision feels like it’s lasting all afternoon.”
Data shows the average VAR check takes just 58.3 seconds, but research of 1,600 football fans found 23 per cent reckon it takes 90 seconds or more.
Arsenal is statistically Europe’s most VAR-affected club with 78 recorded incidents and 80 minutes of delays since the introduction of VAR into the Premier League.
They were followed by West Ham (68 VAR incidents) and Brighton and Hove Albion (60 VAR incidents).
In fact, seven of the top 10 affected clubs across Europe were from the Premier League.
But the research highlighted a clear perception gap, where fans of clubs such as Everton, Brentford and Fulham are most likely to believe VAR is working against them, despite not always leading the league in interventions.
Worryingly, the OnePoll.com research found more than one in three fans (36 per cent) feel VAR has made watching the ‘beautiful game’ less enjoyable.
While 18 per cent said VAR decisions led to arguments with friends or family, and 37 per cent believe it’s made football too slow.
With 72 per cent of fans supporting time limits on virtual assistant referee interventions, Tottenham Hotspur devotees emerged as the most in favour (81 per cent).
Delia Francoise Lendais-Metral, from Snickers, said: “Every footy fan knows the feeling when a VAR check drags on forever.
“Patience goes, tempers fray and hunger only makes it worse, because you’re not you when you’re hungry.
“We can’t speed up VAR, but we can help fans cope with the wait that comes with it and who better to take that message to the masses with the VAR spa than Sean Dyche.”
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