Referees lose faith in VAR technology

Sam Wallace Fri, 20 February 2026 at 3:50 pm UTC·4 min read Premier League referees have lost faith in semi-automated offside technology and are pushing for the clubs to change. Telegraph Sport understands that the final straw was the five-and-a-half-minute delay over an offside decision during the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final between Newcastle United and Manchester City. Many referees feel they cannot trust the system to deliver a swift verdict.Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Referees feel that they – on-field officials and VARs – are getting the blame from the public for delays. The semi-automated offside system is operated by Genius Sports, which won the contract for...