The Bundesliga is set to make history as the first European top-flight league to trial referees explaining VAR decisions directly to stadium spectators via loudspeakers, the German Football League (DFL) confirmed on Monday.
Details of the Pilot Project
The trial will begin this Saturday across five matches, featuring nine clubs, including Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, defending champions Bayer Leverkusen, and other prominent sides like Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig.
The aim is to enhance transparency in refereeing decisions for fans in the stadium, following similar use of public announcement procedures in this season’s Carabao Cup semifinals in England.
Clubs Participating in the Project
Among the Bundesliga and second-tier clubs participating are:
Bayern Munich
Bayer Leverkusen
Eintracht Frankfurt
Borussia Dortmund
Freiburg
RB Leipzig
St. Pauli
Greuther Fürth
Fortuna Düsseldorf
The first match to implement the trial will be Fortuna Düsseldorf’s home game against SSV Ulm in the 2. Bundesliga.
Project Goals
The DFL stated that the trial aims to:
Improve fan experience by offering clear and direct explanations of key VAR decisions.
Foster greater trust and transparency in refereeing processes.
Depending on the success of the project, this initiative could be adopted across all Bundesliga matches in the future and serve as a model for other European leagues.
