The SA Football Association [SAFA] has provided clarity on the progress of its plans to implement the Video Assistant Referee [VAR] system amidst growing interest in bringing the technology to South African football.
The local football fraternity has shown intense interest in when South Africa will finally implement VAR in the Betway Premiership.
Over the last few months, Sport, Arts and Culture minister Gayton McKenzie has also backed the introduction of the system in the Premier Soccer League. McKenzie recently revealed that the government had also allocated a total of R20 million for VAR in this fiscal year.
SAFA has also appointed a VAR project team led by former FIFA referee Daniel Bennett. Bennett recently led a delegation to Spain over the weekend to observe different VAR operations.
The interest in VAR has also been sparked by recent unconfirmed reports that the system is set to be introduced during the semi-finals of the 2025/26 Nedbank Cup.
SAFA MOVE SWIFTLY TO CLARIFY ANY CONFUSION ON VAR IMPLEMENTATION REPORTS
However, in an official statement on Monday, 17 November, SAFA says more clarity will be communicated by the VAR Project Team.
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“The VAR project is a complex, high-priority initiative and is currently in its infancy stages of technical assessment, planning, and stakeholder alignment,” said SAFA.
“A dedicated VAR Project Team is in place, tasked with managing the entire implementation process, which includes procurement, infrastructure development, and training. This Project team is the sole, authorised body by SAFA to provide official updates on the project’s progress.
“The VAR Project Team has not yet held formal briefings with the media to provide comprehensive updates. All official project developments, milestones, and necessary announcements will be communicated by the Project Team in due course through the official SAFA Media Channels and planned media engagements.”
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