VAR to stay in Norway against top clubs' wishes as controversial row fires SPFL firm warning

The tech is set to stay in Norway despite a majority of top clubs voting to get rid

Norway will controversially continue with VAR - despite a majority of their top clubs voting to scrap it.

The Norwegian Football Federation has continually campaigned to keep technology and has now managed to get its wish. It came after 19 of the 32 teams in their top divisions voted to revert back to traditional on-pitch refereeing – with only 13 clubs wanting to continue with it.

NFF president Lise Klaveness – who has fought for VAR amid fan protests and club resistance – managed to curry favour from the country’s lower league and amateur clubs, who don’t use VAR, to swing the vote their way. It saw 321 votes for the status quo and just 129 for the removal of VAR.

Neighbours Sweden have never introduced the system while Norway brought it in 2023. But, like in Scotland, it has been dogged by controversy and inconsistencies.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was left fuming that VAR chalked off Daizen Maeda’s goal at Hibs last week and all top-flight clubs feel they have been on the wrong side of VAR calls this season. St Mirren are looking to start a motion for VAR to be taken out of the hands of the Scottish Football Association and into the hands of an independent body.

Dundee United have also been far from impressed and also taken their representation off the SFA’s key match incidents panel. They were left fuming again last week when VAR chalked off Sam Dalby’s goal against Hibs.

United ended up losing that game although if Dalby’s strike had stood then it would have put his team 2-1 ahead. Tannadice officials have since held talks with head of refereeing Willie Collum and there is a general acceptance that the goal should have stood and VAR shouldn’t have intervened.