Overview
- A ZDFheute survey of 27 coaches from the top two leagues found none were very satisfied with VAR, with 16 reporting low or no satisfaction and 11 expressing satisfaction.
- A narrow majority of respondents (15–12) want VAR restricted to factual checks such as goal or offside decisions, and most (17–10) oppose a coach challenge.
- DFB refereeing leader Knut Kircher endorses “more emotions, less VAR” and says the intervention threshold will be raised step by step.
- Kircher calls very long reviews unacceptable and insists offside checks must be faster, noting semi‑automated offside technology has made decisions about 50% quicker than previous methods.
- Officials are open to placing former players in VAR centers but report no applicants, and Kircher acknowledges the refereeing corps feels the loss of Deniz Aytekin.