Respected former Premier Soccer League and FIFA referee Victor Hlungwani, has provided an update about the implementation of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the South African top-flight next season.
As revealed earlier, the South African FA were determined to ensure the implementation of the VAR system in the country’s top-flight in an attempt to ward off controversies about officiating going into the new season.
However, the former PSL and FIFA referee Victor Hlungwani has confirmed there will be no VAR in the 2025/26 football campaign in South Africa.
Referee preparation seminars for PSL officials will kick off next week, but there is no mention of VAR in the agenda.
“There is no equipment. The last we heard about the VAR system was that a tender had been announced to purchase the necessary materials to get things started. So far, the materials have not arrived. We don’t even know who won the tender, but until SAFA announces the winner, we can’t say much,” Hlungwani stated.
He also made it clear why the implementation of video review is impossible for the upcoming season:
“One week is simply not enough to prepare referees to work with VAR. Pre-season training might last a week, but training referees to use VAR cannot be done in just one week. You can’t just say: “One week, and then we start with VAR.”
“Practical sessions are required, simulations where VAR is used in conditions close to real matches—even if these are lower league games. The key is to have television cameras. Then comes the training stage, and only after that can the system be introduced. So, if we were to introduce VAR this season, starting from August 1, it simply won’t happen this year. Maybe next year, because as you remember, in December we have the Africa Cup of Nations, which will be a huge break—if everything is sorted out. – Hlungwani concluded.
Earlier, Minister of Sport Gayton McKenzie promised back in April to introduce VAR in the PSL by announcing a tender, but nothing has moved forward since then.
