Ten years of VAR in Dutch football

On 1 September 2016, video refereeing was tested live for the first time during an international match between Italy and France. - Foto: KNVB Media

On 21 September 2016, football history was made. During Ajax–Willem II, it immediately became clear what the VAR could mean. Referee Danny Makkelie showed Willem II player Anouar Kali a yellow card following a foul. VAR Pol van Boekel reviewed the footage and advised Makkelie to change the yellow card to a red card. Makkelie followed that advice.

Years of preparation preceded the VAR’s first appearance. In 2013, the KNVB launched the Refereeing 2.0 project, which investigated how video footage could support referees in important decisions. Before the VAR was used live, the system was tested in more than ninety matches without any contact between the video assistant and the referee.

The Netherlands was therefore at the forefront internationally. On 1 September 2016, video refereeing was tested live for the first time during an international match between Italy and France. Björn Kuipers refereed the match, while Danny Makkelie and Pol van Boekel provided support from the video operation room. Twenty days later, the first VAR intervention followed during Ajax–Willem II.

Officially incorporated

In March 2018, the VAR was officially incorporated into the international Laws of the Game. In the Netherlands, all professional football clubs subsequently agreed to introduce the VAR in the Eredivisie. From the 2018/19 season onwards, a VAR was used in all 306 matches. In that first season, the VAR helped correct 87 incorrect decisions.

Since then, the technology has continued to develop. Additional cameras, virtual offside lines and more information about VAR checks in the stadium were introduced. In 2025, the KNVB also experimented with on-field announcements, in which the referee explains the decision after a review.

Development in figures

Technology helps football, but it does not take over

The number of incorrect decisions involving the VAR has decreased in recent seasons. There were 26 in both 2023/'24 and 2024/'25. In 2025/'26, the number fell to 21.

During the 306 Eredivisie matches in the 2025/26 season, the VAR intervened 105 times. In 84 cases, this prevented an incorrect decision. At the same time, the figure of 21 shows that the VAR cannot prevent every error. Particularly with interpretative decisions, such as fouls and handball, there remains room for judgement. The referee and VAR must ultimately still assess each situation. The ambition therefore remains to reduce the number of incorrect decisions further.

The referee remains responsible

The referee on the field remains the primary decision-maker. The VAR serves as a safety net in the event of a clear error in an important situation and does not therefore review every decision.

The VAR protocol has also been expanded in several areas this season. For example, the VAR can intervene in the case of a clearly incorrect second yellow card that results in a red card. In addition, a demonstrably incorrect corner can be corrected, but only if this can be done immediately and the restart is not delayed as a result.

The expansion is not intended to lead to more interventions. The objective remains the same: to correct clear errors with major consequences for a match, without unnecessarily interrupting play.

The next step

After ten years, the focus is increasingly on the quality of how the VAR is applied. Referees and VARs train together to assess similar situations in as consistent a way as possible. Work is also continuing on faster checks and better communication about decisions.

Raymond van Meenen, manager of professional football refereeing affairs: "The VAR has developed enormously over the past ten years. The fact that the number of incorrect decisions decreased last season is positive, but we continue to work on improvement. This is mainly about consistency, speed and clarity. The starting point remains the same as it was ten years ago: the referee remains the primary decision-maker and the VAR is the safety net. Technology helps football, but it does not take over."