Qudus SalihuIn a move that has sent shockwaves through the SPFL, Rangers Football Club has issued a high-stakes demand for a sweeping rule change that could permanently alter the landscape of Scottish football. Following a series of controversial officiating incidents, most notably a heated dispute involving a non-penalty call against Celtic and concerns over the rapid reinstatement of sanctioned VAR officials, the Ibrox board has formally called for total VAR transparency. The club is demanding that the Scottish FA and the SPFL implement a rule requiring the public release of VAR audio and real-time explanations from referees ahead of this weekend’s crucial fixtures.
Rangers’ leadership has been vocal in their dissatisfaction, stating that “meaningful progress” is impossible without accountability. The proposed change would see Scotland move toward a system similar to the one piloted by FIFA, where referees explain their decisions via stadium microphones. Rangers argue that the current “shroud of secrecy” surrounding VAR reviews has eroded public confidence and that the livelihoods of players and staff are being unfairly impacted by inconsistent, “unjustifiable” calls that remain unexplained.
The SPFL and the Scottish FA have responded with a degree of caution, acknowledging the pressure but warning that such a radical shift mid-season requires extensive consultation with all member clubs. While the SPFL has historically been slow to adopt major technological changes, the scale of Rangers’ demand—and the potential for it to “change everything”—has forced an emergency dialogue. League officials noted that while they are monitoring VAR implementation across Europe, any immediate rule change regarding audio transparency would need to be “robust and thorough” to avoid further chaos.
With the weekend’s football looming and the title race intensifying, the pressure on the governing bodies to concede to Rangers’ demands is at an all-time high. Supporters across the country are now waiting to see if the SPFL will buckle and usher in a new era of transparency or if this will remain another chapter in the ongoing war between the Glasgow giants and the footballing authorities.
Qudus Salihu
Mustapha Sheidu
Rabiu Aminu
Nafisa
