Why Do Referees Go to the Monitor in Soccer? VAR Explained

A referee sprints to the touchline, stares at a small screen, and the whole stadium holds its breath. It happens in almost every big match now — and fans often wonder why do referees go to the monitor in soccer when the video officials have already seen the replay.

TL;DR: Referees use the pitchside monitor for an "on-field review" when VAR spots a clear and obvious error or a missed serious incident. The referee, not the VAR, makes the final call on subjective decisions.

What the Pitchside Monitor Actually Is

The monitor sits in a referee review area beside the pitch. It shows the same angles and replays the VAR team is watching at Stockley Park in west London, where the Premier League's video officials work — Premier League.

It exists for subjective calls: was that contact enough for a penalty? Was that handball deliberate? VAR cannot simply overrule those. It can only recommend that the referee takes a second look.

When VAR Sends the Referee to the Screen

Under the International Football Association Board (IFAB) protocol, VAR can check four match-changing categories:

• Goals and whether a build-up offence happened
• Penalty decisions
• Direct red cards
• Mistaken identity for a card

If the footage shows a clear and obvious error or a serious missed incident, the VAR advises an on-field review. For factual issues — offside, the ball leaving play, a foul in the build-up — the referee usually accepts the VAR's finding without walking over.

Why the Referee Still Decides

This is the heart of football's VAR philosophy: technology assists, it does not rule. The referee keeps authority over judgement calls, which is why the same handball can look obvious to one official and accidental to another.

That design has not stopped the arguments. Fans complain about slow reviews, unclear broadcast angles, and the long wait while stadiums go quiet. Critics say the process kills momentum; defenders argue that key decisions are far more accurate than before VAR arrived.

What Happens After the Review