Egypt Cup: VAR technology to be used from round of 16

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology will not be used in the round of 32 of the 2026/27 Egypt Cup, according to a source within the Egyptian Football Association’s referees committee.

The decision is understood to be linked to the competition’s existing arrangements, with VAR set to be introduced from the round of 16 and used for the remainder of the tournament, including the final.

The source told Yallakora that the absence of VAR in the opening round is consistent with previous editions of the competition, dismissing reports that the technology was being scrapped entirely because of its cost.

The Egyptian Football Association’s Competitions Department has scheduled the round of 32 matches to take place from Wednesday, 4 November to Tuesday, 10 November 2026.

The final fixture of the round will see Al Mokawloon Al Arab face Telecom Egypt on Tuesday, 10 November, with kick-off scheduled for 17:00 local time.

Clubs involved in the competition have also received official communications from the Football Association outlining the regulations and organisational arrangements for the round.

The association has confirmed that matches will generally be played with spectators, subject to the attendance capacity approved by the relevant security authorities.

However, fixtures scheduled at Petrosport Stadium will be played behind closed doors, with attendance restricted to 50 representatives from each club’s management.