This project examines the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in the 2024-2025 Turkish Premier League through the lens of intercultural communication, particularly focusing on how officiating referees accomplish reaching agreements and disagreements. A significant development in the 2025 season is the language transition in referee communication. In the last 16 matches of the season, the real-time exchanges between the VAR room and the main referee on the field switched from Turkish to English. This change is not incidental; it reflects the broader internationalization of officiating teams, with VAR referees often appointed from diverse UEFA member countries.From an intercultural communication standpoint, this multilingual and multicultural setup presents both opportunities and challenges:

• English as a lingua franca: The adoption of English as the default language for communication ensures a common ground for collaboration between Turkish referees and their international colleagues. However, it also introduces potential risks of misunderstanding, delay, or ambiguity—particularly in high-pressure decision-making moments.

• Communication under time constraints: Intercultural communication in this context is not leisurely. It unfolds in seconds, often amid crowd noise and emotional intensity. The ability to negotiate meaning quickly and clearly, despite cultural and linguistic differences, becomes a vital skill for referees.

• Shared protocols, different communication styles: While UEFA provides standardized VAR procedures, referees may still differ in their interpretations, assertiveness, politeness strategies, or even their willingness to challenge or defer to others, shaped by their cultural backgrounds.

• Disagreements and consensus building: The data shows that while most decisions reach agreement (AGR), there are a few notable disagreements (DIS). An intercultural lens invites deeper analysis into how these disagreements are managed, whether resolution styles differ by national background, and how authority is negotiated in a multicultural team setting.

• Technological mediation and cultural adaptation: VAR is not just a technological tool but also a culturally mediated space. The interactions captured reveal how professional norms, decision-making hierarchies, and verbal/non-verbal cues are enacted in intercultural contexts.