Fully Funded PhD: Thinking clearly under pressure: Understanding and enhancing decision making in football video assistant referees

Video assistant referee (VAR) decisions occur at critical game incidents and require accurate and timely decisions under intense scrutiny. However, little is known about expertise in this context. Additionally, to enhance decision accuracy, match officials should undergo role-specific decision-making training, yet current training methods are limited particularly in the context of VAR.

This project forms part of an exciting new research and innovation partnership between Manchester Metropolitan University and the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).

This fully funded PhD provides an exciting opportunity to pursue postgraduate study within Manchester Metropolitan University’s Institute of Sport, which is equipped with state-of-the-art sport science testing facilities, while also gaining first-hand industry experience and mentorship from professional match officials and support staff at the PGMOL.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aims of this fully funded PhD are to first quantify expertise in VAR decision-making and highlight constraints that undermine this process (such as time, technology, and psychological stress).

We then aim to test training interventions designed to enhance this decision-making process under the intense pressure of real match scenarios.