During the 2026/27 season, the Premier League will publish the results of its Key Match Incident (KMI) Panel weekly on its website and app, providing full transparency around the evaluation of decisions made by Match Officials.
This article explains what the panel is, how it operates and what its results mean.
What is the KMI Panel?
The KMI Panel is an independent group of five members: three former players or coaches, one representative from the Premier League, and one from Pro Ref (Professional Game Referees), the organisation responsible for refereeing in England.
When was the panel introduced and why?
The KMI Panel was introduced during the 2022/23 season to provide an independent assessment of key decisions in every Premier League match.
The panel reviews critical match incidents, such as penalties, red cards, offside decisions, and other situations under the Referee’s jurisdiction. Its conclusions offer an objective view of decision accuracy and help inform Pro Ref of how players and coaches believe Premier League matches should be officiated.
What counts as a Key Match Incident?
A key match incident must fall into one of the below:
- Goal (awarded/disallowed – VAR)
- Sending-off, red card (given/not given – VAR)
- Second yellow card (given/not given – VAR/no VAR)
- Denial of a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity red card (given/not given – VAR)
- Penalties (awarded/not awarded/not given – VAR)
- Technical area red card (given/not given – VAR)
- Other (no VAR – incident cannot be reviewed)
Who decides the list of KMIs for review?
KMIs are identified in-stadium and during post-match analysis. The final list is agreed jointly by the Premier League and Pro Ref to ensure consistent application against pre‑agreed thresholds.
How does the voting process work?
Each panellist votes on whether the on-field decision (the Referee’s call) was correct or incorrect.
If the decision is judged incorrect, panellists then vote on whether it constituted a clear and obvious error, based on the high threshold required for VAR intervention.
How do panellists judge decisions of Match Officials?
Before each meeting, panellists receive video clips of all finalised KMIs. These clips are reviewed collectively during the meeting, followed by discussion and voting.
Each panellist provides their view along with feedback for the Match Officials. They are expected to apply their football knowledge and experience while also considering The Laws of the Game, Premier League Football Principles and Pro Ref guidance.
How can the KMI panel vote that the on-field decision was wrong, but the VAR was correct not to intervene?
Panellists assess the Referee’s decision first, then the VAR’s actions.
Because VAR operates under a high threshold for intervention in the Premier League, the panel may conclude that although the Referee made an error, it was not sufficiently clear and obvious for VAR to intervene.
On-field officials retain full authority when reviewing a decision at the VAR monitor. They may choose to overturn their original decision or uphold the initial call.
Do KMI panellists undergo training?
Yes. Panellists receive rigorous training to understand the Laws of the Game and how Match Officials interpret and apply them. This training is delivered jointly by the Premier League and Pro Ref.
What are the benefits?
Football is a subjective game, and opinions will always differ. The KMI panel results provide the Premier League and Pro Ref with an independent perspective on what the game expects from officiating. They also support efforts to improve the consistency and performance of Match Officials throughout the season.
In addition, the results help the Premier League identify key areas within its football principles that may need addressing.
When will KMI panel results be published?
The KMI panel results will be published one week after the meeting concludes.