Premier League fans endure 19 hours of VAR-related delays each season, making England's top flight the most disrupted league in Europe. Research spanning the 2017-2025 seasons reveals that supporters collectively wait 1,126 minutes—equivalent to nearly 12 full matches—for referees to review video evidence.
European Comparison
English fans face longer waits than their European counterparts. Spain's La Liga records 1,086 minutes of VAR delays, Italy's Serie A 823 minutes, and Germany's Bundesliga 604 minutes, according to data from Snickers in partnership with Opta.
Most Affected Clubs
Arsenal is statistically Europe's most VAR-affected club, with 78 recorded incidents and 80 minutes of delays since the technology's introduction. They are followed by West Ham (68 incidents) and Brighton & Hove Albion (60). Remarkably, seven of the top ten most affected clubs across Europe hail from the Premier League, including Everton, Brentford, and Fulham.
Fan Frustration
Over a third of fans (36%) feel VAR has made watching football less enjoyable, while 37% believe it has slowed the game excessively. A majority now call for time limits on VAR interventions. This follows a dramatic VAR decision during the Arsenal-West Ham clash, denying West Ham a stoppage-time equaliser crucial for both the title race and relegation battle.
Snickers and Sean Dyche Launch VAR Spa
To help fans cope, Snickers has teamed up with former Burnley manager Sean Dyche to launch a tongue-in-cheek 'VAR Spa'—a mobile wellness experience designed to calm supporters during agonising checks. A short film shows Dyche taking his no-nonsense style into everyday settings, inviting fans into the van as a travelling 'relief unit' for those losing patience during VAR delays.
Sean Dyche commented: "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."
