Serie A Introduces Live VAR Announcements in Stadiums and on TV

Former Atalanta player Mateo Retegui appeals to Match Referee, Marco Guida during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Atalanta at Stadio Olimpico on December 02, 2024 in Rome, Italy

Serie A takes a significant step forward in transparency with live VAR announcements in stadiums and on television.

“We have a select group of officials and we want to ensure the language is as uniform as possible...”

Serie A referees will begin announcing VAR decisions live in stadiums and on television starting next season, referee designator Gianluca Rocchi told Italian media on Tuesday.

Rocchi described the move as a significant step forward in communication between referees and the public, saying the aim was to make officiating decisions quicker and clearer.

“We have a select group of officials and we want to ensure the language is as uniform as possible so that decisions can be clear to the public,” Rocchi said.

🚨 Serie A refs will now explain VAR decisions live on the pitch 🎙️⚽️

🗣️ Rocchi: “We made a mistake last season by not communicating enough. Sometimes we tried to protect the group instead of showing what really happened.

This year we’ll be more open and clear.” pic.twitter.com/izIwCpHW43

— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) August 5, 2025

Other countries, including England and Germany, have also experimented with referees explaining their decisions to the crowd, a concept now being adopted in Serie A.