The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has taken another significant step in its quest to develop world-class match officials on the continent. They have launched the CAF VAR Academy, a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at elevating the standard of officiating across Africa.
This innovative academy signifies CAF’s commitment to fulfilling its President, Dr. Patrice Motsepe’s vision of making African football “globally competitive and self-sustaining,” said CAF’s Director of Member Associations, Sarah Mukuna.
“Outlined in Dr Motsepe’s 8-Steps of his vision…includes protecting the integrity and professionalising refereeing, as well as introducing appropriately priced Video Assistant Referees,” Mukuna explained. “It is therefore with this in mind that CAF is proud to be launching this innovative initiative…”
The CAF VAR Academy will provide elite referees across CAF’s 54 Member Associations with the necessary theoretical and practical skills to utilize Video Assistant Refereeing (VAR) technology. This program is seen as a crucial step towards ensuring African match officials are equipped with the latest officiating tools and remain on par with their global counterparts.
“Officiating plays a critical role in the development of African football,” said Mukuna, referencing the successful officiating at the recent TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations. “CAF actively oversees and supports a number of football development programmes and competitions across Africa…it is equally vital that match officials across Africa are adequately equipped…”
The official launch of the CAF VAR Academy is scheduled for September or October 2024. In the coming months, CAF will also be conducting workshops across its Zonal Unions, reaching over 120 elite referees. This initiative serves as the first step towards the wider introduction of VAR technology in African football competitions.
