Celtic VAR Farce Is Now a National Embarrassment — SFA, SPFL and Scottish Government Must Act

The Celtic VAR farce has become part of a much bigger embarrassment for Scottish football.

Supporters are being asked to accept a system that too often produces controversy, confusion and serious questions over whether the technology available is good enough for a modern professional league.

Celtic have now had three goals ruled out across their last two matches amid arguments over offside evidence and whether the ball had crossed the byline.

However, this cannot simply be dismissed as Celtic complaining about decisions.

The problem is much bigger.

Scottish football keeps returning to the same arguments about camera angles, communication, interpretation and what VAR can or cannot actually prove.

Then came another remarkable intervention from former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg.

Discussing the controversial penalty awarded to Rangers against Motherwell, Clattenburg said the threshold for awarding a penalty had reached an “all-time low”.

His argument was straightforward. If minimal contact is enough, football risks turning almost every coming-together inside the penalty area into a spot-kick.

When officials with Clattenburg’s experience are publicly questioning decisions, those running Scottish football should be listening.

Celtic VAR farce is damaging Scotland’s national game

This matters far beyond Celtic Park.

Independent research by the Fraser of Allander Institute found Scottish football contributes £820 million in gross value added to Scotland’s economy once supporter spending is included.

It also supports 14,315 full-time-equivalent jobs, while attendances involving Scottish professional teams exceeded 6.8 million in the season examined.

Think about what supporters contribute.

They fill trains, buses and taxis. They spend money in pubs, restaurants, hotels and shops. They buy tickets, food, drink, shirts and merchandise.

Football generates business throughout Scotland every single week.

Yet this enormous national industry is being undermined by a refereeing technology system that repeatedly becomes the story.

VAR was originally estimated to cost around £1.2 million per Premiership season, funded by the clubs on a sliding scale.

Meanwhile, the SPFL has reported annual group income of £50.4 million, while Scottish FA group turnover for 2024 was £78.72 million.

So why are we still behaving as though improving VAR is financially impossible?

The governing bodies should treat refereeing technology as essential infrastructure, not simply another invoice to pass down to the clubs.

There are other funding possibilities.

UEFA’s HatTrick programme makes up to €17 million available to each member association between 2024 and 2028, with refereeing specifically included among the initiatives the programme supports.

The SFA should be investigating every available route.

Celtic VAR farce demands action from Holyrood too

The Scottish Government cannot — and should not — interfere with individual refereeing decisions.

Nobody wants a government minister deciding whether a Celtic player was offside.

But that does not mean Holyrood should stand on the sidelines.

The Scottish Government already works financially with the Scottish FA. In 2026/27, it is continuing to invest £5.5 million in the Extra Time programme in partnership with the association.

Therefore, cooperation already exists.

Why not bring the Scottish FA, SPFL, clubs, supporters and independent technology experts around the same table?

Commission an independent technical review.

Establish exactly what better camera coverage, backup communications, upgraded infrastructure and semi-automated offside technology would cost.

Former Scottish refereeing chief Willie Collum previously described semi-automated offside technology as a “great system”, while explaining that implementing it would cost about £1.2 million over a season.

Then examine a funding package involving the SFA, SPFL, UEFA support, commercial income and, where justified, Government investment.

There is also an obvious commercial opportunity.

Serie A already allows its Innovation and Technology Partner to have branding associated with television graphics involving VAR and goal-line technology, as well as VAR monitors.

Why couldn’t Scotland sell a similar sponsorship?

Sponsor the technology — never the decision.

A major technology or telecommunications company could help finance better infrastructure in exchange for a properly controlled commercial partnership.

That requires ambition and competent negotiation from the people running Scottish football.

Fans are pouring millions into this game. Scottish football generates hundreds of millions for the economy. Its governing bodies themselves generate tens of millions.

The answer cannot continually be that Scotland simply has to tolerate an inferior system.

Ian Maxwell, Neil Doncaster and the Scottish Government should get around a table and produce a transparent improvement plan with costs, funding options and deadlines.

Because this has gone beyond one Celtic decision.

VAR is supposed to increase confidence in football.

In Scotland, far too often, it is destroying it.