UEFA announces Euro 2024´s VAR decisions will be communicated on stadium screens

UEFA is preparing for a landmark moment at Euro 2024 as Europe’s governing body revealed plans to communicate VAR decisions on stadium screens in Germany.

The organisation had already announced last month that refereeing calls would be explained in detail to international captains, who should be the only players to speak to the officials.

Any team-mate ignoring their captain’s role and approaching the referee showing any sign of disrespect or dissent will receive a yellow card.

Yet UEFA confirmed another refereeing initiative at the upcoming tournament as officials will explain decisions to the crowd via stadium screens across June and July.

“This is something new. I think it’s very, very, very interesting,” UEFA’s managing director for refereeing Roberto Rosetti said on Wednesday.

“So we want to give, after the opinion of VAR, a technical explanation for the public.

“In live, simultaneously, the UEFA expert will prepare the explanation, a technical explanation about what happened in the specific situation.

“For example, on-field review, the referee awards a penalty for handball…

“Technical explanation: Germany number nine touched the ball with his left arm in an unnatural position above the shoulder and making his body bigger.”

“We are doing this not for the referees but for the image of the game and the next generation.”

UEFA managing director of refereeing outlines why we are taking fair play and respect so seriously at #EURO2024 , and where officials have been told to be strict with players:

— UEFA (@UEFA) June 12, 2024

Rosetti has already been leading the way in reaching out to teams and players to inform them of the new protocols at the European Championship.

That includes reinforcing the message that dangerous tackles will be greeted with serious disciplinary punishment.

“One of the most important priorities in refereeing guidelines is to protect the players,” Rosetti added.

“To protect the image of the game, but in particular to protect the safety of the main actors of the games.

“We showed them a couple of clips that we are asking to the referees to be very strong in these kinds of situations.

“So for such situations, we asked the referees to be zero tolerant because this is something that we cannot accept.”

Germany open the Euro 2024 tournament in their curtain-raiser against Scotland in Munich on Friday.