CAF Prez Calls for Wider Use of VAR & Refereeing Reforms in Africa
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has underlined the urgent need to expand the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology across all football federations on the continent.
Addressing members during a recent CAF Executive Council meeting, Motsepe outlined his ambition for every African federation to have access to VAR systems, describing it as a crucial step toward strengthening officiating standards and promoting fairness in the game.
“We will like to see every football Federation [in Africa] have VAR,” Motsepe said, highlighting CAF’s commitment to modernizing African football.
He noted that broader implementation of the technology would significantly minimize disputes over contentious decisions, which have often overshadowed major fixtures. By improving decision-making accuracy, VAR is also expected to raise the credibility and overall standard of competitions across Africa.
In recent years, CAF has progressively integrated VAR into high-profile tournaments, including Africa Cup of Nations matches and other continental club competitions. These efforts, according to Motsepe, represent only the beginning of a long-term modernization drive.
The CAF leadership believes that making VAR widely available will create uniformity in officiating and ensure that teams across different regions compete under the same technological conditions.
It also aligns with the Confederation’s wider objective of bringing African football in line with international best practices.
To achieve this goal, CAF is exploring ways to support member associations with the infrastructure, training, and resources required to successfully adopt and operate the system.
