CAF to train referees in Cairo ahead of VAR introduction in club competitions

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will bring together match officials in Cairo, Egypt, at the end of October for training ahead of the introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in its two major club competitions.

The training programme will prepare referees and other match officials for the group stages of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, where VAR is scheduled to be introduced in November.

The development follows a report by AfricaSoccer.com that CAF plans to implement the technology during the group phase of both competitions.

The Cairo sessions will focus on familiarising officials with the technology, its operational procedures and the protocols required to ensure effective coordination between on-field referees and video assistant referees.

VAR is designed to assist match officials in reviewing key incidents that could influence the outcome of matches, including goals, penalty decisions, direct red-card offences and cases of mistaken identity.

Its introduction is expected to provide referees with additional support when assessing contentious decisions, while ensuring that reviews are conducted consistently and with minimal disruption to matches.

CAF’s decision to organise the training before the start of the group stages underlines the importance of preparing officials to use the technology effectively in competitive fixtures.

The Champions League and Confederation Cup are Africa’s premier men’s club competitions, featuring leading teams from across the continent competing for continental honours.

The introduction of VAR represents a significant development in CAF’s officiating arrangements, with clubs, players and supporters likely to pay close attention to how the technology is applied during matches.

However, CAF has yet to announce further details about the Cairo programme, including the list of participating officials and the specific arrangements for implementing VAR.

With the group stages scheduled to begin in November, the training will form part of CAF’s preparations to integrate video technology into the competitions and support match officials in making key decisions.