Women's World Cup: Fans left baffled by NFL-style VAR referee calls

“After an on-field review, my decision is… penalty kick”. The Women’s World Cup has already become accustomed to VAR decisions being relayed by the on-pitch referee via microphones — and it was no different in England’s opening match against Haiti on Saturday.

For the first time at a senior Fifa international tournament, officials have delivered their verdicts to VAR decisions to fans at venues and TV audiences, a similar scenario which is seen in the NFL.

England’s match saw the eighth penalty via VAR in as many matches — including a retake scored by match winner Georgia Stanway in their nervy 1-0 victory — at the ongoing World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, with fans having their say on the new method of engagement which could one day reach the Premier League.

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Tournament history was made in the opening World Cup match when co-hosts New Zealand and Australia were both awarded spot kicks. At the time, TV pundit Alex Scott compared the referee’s decision over the PA akin to something out of The Hunger Games.

On Saturday, after the Lionesses were denied a penalty in the 18th minute, VAR deeming that Alessia Russo had committed a foul before Chloe Kelly was clipped in the build up to a foul by Haiti.

Ten minutes later, England were awarded a penalty before Stanway was denied by 5ft 4in goalkeeper Kerly Théus. However VAR again intervened as Théus was adjudged to have been off her line.

Stanway made no mistake a second time for England’s opener.

“Are they trying to turn football into NFL? There is zero reason for the referee to announce to the stadium that they're awarding a penalty,” one England fan posted on Twitter following the new edicts.

Another wrote: “And another thing, I don't like the overly dramatic way penalties are announced in this tournament. More needless focus on referees imo.”

Pierluigi Collina, Fifa's referee committee chairman, had said in February that the top-tier trial was set to be implemented “to make the decision taken by the referee after a VAR intervention more understandable for all the football stakeholders, namely the spectators at the stadium, or in front of the television."

The Italian added: "I have to say that there are other experiences in other sports, namely the NFL in American football, who have been doing this for quite a long time.

"It seems that the referees are pretty comfortable with this."

However, some fans were left baffled by the referees' microphone explanations, namely that they didn’t explain reasons for any decisions taken.

“The referee telling the stadium the decision is pointless,” said a post written on Twitter. “We know what they’re giving the penalty for. We should hear the conversation between ref and VAR room.”

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Another fan concurred, by saying: “I wish they'd also keep the mic on when the referee is discussing the incident with the VAR team so we can understand their reasoning for tight decisions.

"Just like she did for the decision to retake the penalty."

After England’s first-half opener, World Cup debutants Haiti, ranked outside the world’s top 50, proved a tricky opening test for Sarina Wiegman’s side, conjuring several chances to equalise as the game wore on.

“We knew they were going to be dangerous," goalscorer Stanway said afterwards. "Mary (Earps) came up with a big save and everybody played their part. It’s saves like that that keep us in this tournament. The most important thing is that we’ve got three points and it’s the first game. Off to a good start.

England’s second Women’s World Cup match takes place on Friday against Belgium.

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