In response to growing public discussion, the South African Football
Association’s (SAFA) Referees Department has released an official statement
to provide clarity on the implementation of the Video Assistant Referee
(VAR) system.
The statement confirms that the project is a “complex, high-priority
initiative” but is currently in its early stages. A dedicated VAR Project
Team, led by former referee Daniel Bennett and including SAFA Head of
Referees Abdul Ebrahim, has been appointed to manage the entire process.
This team is responsible for technical assessment, procurement,
infrastructure development, and training.
The department emphasized that this Project Team is the sole, authorised
body for providing official updates on the VAR rollout. It clarified that no
formal media briefings have been held yet and that all future announcements
regarding project milestones will be communicated directly through official
SAFA channels in due course.
The public and stakeholders are urged to rely on these official statements
for accurate and reliable information, rather than unofficial reports. This
comes amid indications that the system could be trialed during the Nedbank
Cup semi-finals later this season.
