Research compiled across 2017-2025 seasons finds the Premier League suffers the most VAR disruption in Europe, with 19 hours of delays each season—alongside growing fan frustration at lengthy checks.
The Premier League has emerged as Europe’s most disrupted league by VAR, with delays totalling 19 hours every season, a figure that underlines how often supporters feel the game grinds to a halt.
Across the season, Premier League fans are estimated to spend 1,126 minutes waiting for officials at Stockley Park to reach decisions. Taken together, the reported delays are equivalent to nearly 12 entire games, reflecting the scale of frustration supporters have voiced in recent months.
The figures. compiled by Snickers in partnership with Opta. show the Premier League had more stoppages due to VAR than the European average.. Spain’s La Liga ranked second for delays. with 1. 086 minutes of waiting. while Italy’s Serie A recorded 823 minutes and Germany’s Bundesliga 604. based on data gathered across the 2017-2025 seasons.
VAR has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks after a host of high-profile errors. Data also suggests the average VAR check takes 58.3 seconds, yet research of 1,600 football fans found 23 per cent believe checks take 90 seconds or more.
Arsenal have been singled out as Europe’s most VAR-affected club, with 78 recorded incidents and 80 minutes of delays since VAR was introduced. West Ham follow with 68 incidents, while Brighton recorded 60. Seven of the top ten affected clubs across Europe were from the Premier League.
Supporters’ frustration is not limited to timing.. The research commissioned by OnePoll.com found 36 per cent of fans feel VAR has made watching football less enjoyable.. It also found 18 per cent said VAR decisions lead to arguments with friends or family. and 37 per cent believe it has made football too slow.
The latest anger has also been fuelled by match incidents, including officials disallowing West Ham’s late strike against Arsenal last week for a foul by Pablo on David Raya.
The pattern is laid out in the numbers: Premier League delays run at 19 hours a season, fans are waiting 1,126 minutes at Stockley Park, and the league also produces the most VAR-affected clubs—Arsenal, West Ham and Brighton all featuring prominently in the incidents list.
Snickers has now teamed up with ex-Burnley boss Sean Dyche to launch a ‘VAR Spa’. described as a mobile wellness experience designed to help fans stay calm during lengthy VAR calls.. A short film promoting the initiative shows Dyche appearing in everyday settings such as a family living room. a laundrette and a cafe. before inviting supporters into a ‘relief unit’ van aimed at helping anyone losing patience over VAR checks.
Dyche said: “I’ve been around football long enough to know a long VAR check can test anybody’s patience. The game stops, everyone starts overthinking it, hunger kicks in and suddenly a five-second decision feels like it’s lasting all afternoon.”
Delia Francoise Lendais-Metral, from Snickers, added: “Every footy fan knows the feeling when a VAR check drags on forever.. Patience goes, tempers fray and hunger only makes it worse, because you’re not you when you’re hungry.. We can’t speed up VAR. but we can help fans cope with the wait that comes with it and who better to take that message to the masses with the VAR spa than Sean Dyche.”
Premier League VAR Stockley Park delays Snickers Opta OnePoll Arsenal West Ham Brighton Sean Dyche VAR Spa