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Football fans' biggest gripes revealed - from rising ticket prices to VAR

VAR controversies and FIFA's influence are among fan's biggest complaints about the modern game.

[Man sitting at home with head in hands while watching a football match on tv, showing stress, disappointment, and frustration during a live sports game.]

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Fans are often left frustrated by VAR decisions (Image: Getty Images)

Football fans' biggest gripes include FIFA, soaring ticket prices and Super Bowl-style half-time shows. Research of 5,000 fans found 61% believe the sport has lost its way. The study revealed much of fans' frustrations stemmed from spiralling costs, with 88% feeling like ordinary supporters are being priced out.

Alongside ticket prices, this included the number of subscriptions needed to watch games, as well as the Champions League not being free-to-air. But that wasn't all. Many also complained about the number of kits released by teams each season, while others dislike colourful football boots.

The research was commissioned by OLBG to celebrate the launch of the Marc White Fixes Football show. The Dorking Wanderers founder and manager, said: "The feeling that fans are being priced out of football really stands out from the study.

"Following your club has become more expensive than ever, and supporters are noticing it. Football doesn't exist without fans, so it's important the game doesn't lose sight of that. "

[Group of excited football fans cheering and celebrating in front of the TV as their favorite team scores a goal]

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Supporters feel the game has lost what made it special(Image: Getty Images)

When asked what they would do if they were in charge of the game, many said they would enforce cheaper tickets. The next biggest priorities were scrapping VAR, making more matches free-to-air and reducing the influence bodies like FIFA have on the sport.

When it comes to VAR, just 18% said they would keep it as it is, with the biggest issues being the time it takes, the game feeling too stop-start and it creating more debate than it solves.

If participants were to make changes, they would introduce greater consistency, quicker decisions and even a time limit for reviews.

Respondents were also unhappy with half-time shows. Only a quarter said they enjoyed this year's World Cup Final performance.

Nearly three quarters (72%) felt negatively about the idea of bringing in such shows on a more regular basis, while 31% branded it "a terrible idea".

White added: "Fans are the lifeblood of the game, but a lot of them feel football is drifting further away from the people who made it what it is.

"People still love football, they just want decisions to be made with supporters at the heart of them."

TOP 20 BIGGEST FOOTBALL GRIPES:

1. Rising ticket prices
2. Too much focus on money
3. Players diving / exaggerating contact
4. VAR
5. FIFA
6. Inconsistent refereeing decisions
7. Too much time-wasting
8. Too much football being behind paid subscriptions
9. Too much commercialisation
10. Champions League not being free-to-air
11. Super Bowl-style half-time shows
12. Replica football shirts being too expensive
13. Too many kits being released every season
14. Modern "systems-ball" / overly tactical football
15. Premier League decision-making
16. UEFA
17. Fixture congestion
18. Lack of atmosphere at some grounds
19. Clubs releasing too much merchandise
20. Matches being too physical and not technical enough

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