A new NFF committee will look at controversial VAR situations

A former referee, a former coach and a former player make up a new VAR committee in the NFF.

Thursday 2 May at 12:31 p.m

Secretary-General Karl-Petter Løken tells about this at a press conference on Thursday.

This committee will look at controversial situations from elite series matches – without them checking the refereeing.

– After each series round, the clubs can report VAR situations they want to discuss in more detail, says Løken.

The three members are former Haugesund coach Jostein Grindhaug, former national team player Tom Høgli and former top referee Jon Skjervold.

– They have already looked at two situations that Brann would look at after the YMCA match, including the expulsion of Bård Finne, says Løken.

– A very good start to a dialogue with the referee community. And which we want to develop further, continues the Secretary-General.

He says that the NFF, in collaboration with the clubs, wants to further develop and improve VAR. This independent committee is part of this.

A majority of the 32 clubs in our top two divisions at the winter’s annual meetings were in favor of, or neutral to, the use of VAR. It thus ended in defeat for the supporters who wanted to remove VAR.

VAR was introduced in Norwegian football from the 2023 season after Norsk Toppfotball – the interest organization of the 32 top clubs in the Eliteserien and Obosligaen – had a majority in favor among its member clubs.

Today’s VAR package is part of the TV 2 agreement that lasts until 2028.