World Cup watchers back time-wasting and VAR changes
Those rule changes that we asked about are welcomed by the majority of World Cup watchers.
This includes 78% who approve of referees now having the ability to start a 5 second countdown if players are taking too long with throw-ins or goal kicks, 70% backing requiring substituted players to leave the pitch within 10 seconds, and 60% for requiring players to stay off the pitch for one minute if they have to be treated by physios during stoppages (with some exceptions).
There have also been developments in terms of the video assistant referee (VAR), which have also been met with positivity.
Three quarters (77%) approve of allowing VAR reviews for red or yellow cards for fouls that have been mistakenly given to the wrong player, 73% support VAR reviews for mistakenly issued second yellow cards, and 54% agree with allowing VAR reviews for the awarding of corner kicks.
It’s coming home?
Prior to the tournament beginning, one in five (22%) of adults in England who expected to watch a great deal or fair amount of the World Cup felt that England had a realistic chance of winning the tournament, rising to 33% if we include those who feel they could at least make the final.
Three weeks in and the number who think England could win has fallen to 13%, and to 19% for all those who still believe they could make the top two.
The number who think England’s best realistic outcome is to reach the semis has remained largely unchanged (33% before vs 31% now). Instead, fans are now more likely to think that England’s can probably only make it as far as the quarter finals (32%, up from 21%), while 12% think they are unlikely to progress past the round of 16 (up from 4%).