Safa Takes Major Step Towards Var In South African Football

The South African Football Federation SAFA has put out a request for proposal RFP for Video Assistant Referee VAR.

This marks a major step towards implementing the technology for the first time in South African professional football.

Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie shared a screenshot of the RFP advertisement on his X profile on Wednesday 9 April.

SAFA issued the tender on Tuesday, 8 April, with a closing date of 21 April 2025.

SAFA invites proposals from qualified vendors for the supply of VAR equipment, the preparation of VAR training programmes, and the training of video and match officials, the RFP reads.

This initiative aims to enhance the accuracy and fairness of officiating in Premier Soccer League PSL matches and selected National Team matches.

Earlier this week, McKenzie announced that he had met the Associations leadership because FIFA rules states clearly that VAR should happen through SAFA.

The money is available training of referees has also been budgeted for. Thanks SAFA, thanks PSL. We are ready, he added in a post on Facebook .

Progress to implement the technology locally has been slow since SAFA first wrote to footballs world governing body FIFA on the matter in June 2023.

In the letter to FIFA, SAFA has provided the itemised costs of the programme including those of VAR training, referees, technical staff and the equipment, it said at the time.