The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has launched the CAF Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Academy for its 54 member associations—a move aimed at elevating the standard of officiating in Africa.
This development, marking the first time VAR will be introduced across the entire continent, will benefit all 54 members of the federation.
The innovative academy is set to be rolled out between September and October 2024, embarking on a continental drive to conduct CAF VAR Academy workshops across its zonal unions over the next few months, with 180 referees expected to participate.
According to the federation, the VAR Academy will train elite referees across the continent for international competitions and national championships on the use of VAR, ensuring that Africa continues to produce top-tier referees, as has been seen in recent times.
CAF Technical Development Director, Raul Chipenda, stated that the VAR Academy Programme is designed to improve the standard of officiating in Africa and help referees from the continent compete among the best:
“In the last few months, CAF has focused heavily on upskilling match officials in the use of VAR. That’s why, at the AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, our officials were rated among the best. But it doesn’t help to have only a small group; we need a larger pool.
“Officiating plays a critical role in the development of African football, as clearly demonstrated in the success of the recent TotalEnergies CAF AFCON. CAF actively oversees and supports numerous football development programmes and competitions across Africa. With that in mind, it is equally vital that match officials across the continent are adequately equipped with the latest officiating technology, resources, and education to remain on par with the best officials worldwide,” said Chipenda.
