The prospect of Norway becoming the first European nation to turn its back on VAR has edged closer after members from 18 of the country’s top 32 clubs voted in favour of scrapping the technology.
VAR was implemented in the Eliteserien – Norway’s 16-team top division – at the start of 2023 and supporters have rallied against it virtually ever since.
Numerous matches were interrupted last season as fans hurled flares, smoke bombs, tennis balls and even fish cakes onto pitches in protest.
Clubs in Norway are run by their members and the widespread dissatisfaction with VAR has resulted in fans mobilising across the country.
In recent weeks, members from individual clubs have voted on whether to keep or remove VAR and on Tuesday, Norway’s biggest independent supporter group, the Norsk Supporter Alliance (NSA), confirmed there is now an anti-VAR majority.
Tellingly, the backlash against VAR is especially strong among fans from top-flight clubs where the technology is being used.
Of the Eliteserien’s 16 clubs, 13 are anti-VAR including Norway’s most successful club Rosenborg, 2022 champions Molde and, as it stands, the reigning champions Bodo/Glimt – although they are preparing to hold another meeting on Tuesday to determine their final position.
Video footage showed fans of Odd Ballklubb celebrating wildly after their club’s anti-VAR stance was confirmed.
✅ #Fuckvar #oddsbk https://t.co/CL58HXRtSr pic.twitter.com/sxYaMiDFni
— HEIAODD (@PositivOddFan) January 15, 2025
“Put simply, today’s vote shows that there is an absolute majority against VAR among the top 32 clubs in Norway,” Anders Kjellevold, the chairman of the NSA, tells The i Paper.
“There are still a couple of clubs that are going to discuss the issue so there might actually be an even stronger majority than we have today.”
The battle against VAR in Norway still has a long way left to run. On 22 January, a meeting is scheduled between board representatives from Norway’s top 32 clubs to determine what position the league association (NTF) will take.
This is ahead of a final vote on whether to keep, amend or scrap VAR in March, which will include every club in Norway and be overseen by the country’s National Football Association (NFF).
Last year, NTF chairman Cato Haug rowed back from comments he made that the organisation may not follow the will of the clubs when adopting its position on VAR, following criticism from supporters.
“In connection with the debate around VAR, my statements have been questioned as to whether the board will follow a majority decision from the clubs,” Haug said.
“The board and owner meetings (meetings with all 32 top clubs) have had and will in the future have several votes, and in the relevant matters, majority decisions apply.
“I see that my communication has cast doubt on this, I apologise for that. It is my responsibility as leader that the communication is clear.”
Supporters are hopeful that if the NTF supports the intention of the majority of the top 32 clubs in going against VAR, it could help sway the NFF when it presents its referendum in March.
“What happens next is a bit uncertain,” Kjellevold concedes.
“Even though the FA has said that the collective opinion of the clubs through the NTF will be a very strong signal when they are to decide their stance, they also have to take into consideration other factors.”
Those factors are likely to include the NFF’s relationship with Uefa, Fifa and existing sponsorship agreements which may have been made under the proviso that the Eliteserien would use VAR.
“The FA is clearly pro-VAR and they will certainly try to navigate this somehow,” Kjellevold says. “But in short, this is a big win and we’re very optimistic for the future.”
The Norwegian FA has been approached for comment.
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