CAF to introduce Video Assistant Referee this weekend

Mamelodi Sundowns player Percy Tau (R) fights for the ball with Esperance player Machani Ali (L) during the 2017 CAF Champions League game between Esperance and Mamelodi Sundowns at Stade Olympique In Tunis, Tunisia on 21 June 2017 © BackpagePix

by Phumzile Ngcatshe

Wednesday Feb 21, 2018. 14:30

The Confederation of African Football has announced plans to debut the video assistant referee (VAR) for the first time this weekend in the CAF Super Cup.

The match sees the 2017 CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup winners playing together.

Although it has caused controversy in Europe, VAR will be introduced in Casablanca on Saturday during the match between African champions Wydad Casablanca and TP Mazembe who lifted the CAF Confed Cup.

"It's a historic moment for African football," CAF general secretary Amr Fahmy said.

"I'm proud that Africa has taken the initiative to embrace the latest technology towards the development of football, and I'm positive the impact will be felt at all levels of the game."

VAR was supposed to be introduced during the 2018 CAF African Nations Championship quarter-finals in Morocco last month, but training sessions were held instead.

The technology is used to assist referees with key decisions, including the awarding of goals and penalties, red cards and offside.

On the other hand, FIFA is yet to decide whether to use VAR at the World Cup this summer in Russia, but could decide in March.