The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is preparing to introduce video assistant refereeing (VAR) from the group stage of its two leading club competitions, with the change expected to take effect in the 2026-2027 season.
VAR would be used in both the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup, rather than being restricted to the knockout rounds as has been the case.
The development was reported by journalist Micky Jnr, who said Samson Adamu, CAF’s interim secretary general, had confirmed the planned change.
If implemented as announced, the system would be available throughout the group stage and could assist officials with key decisions involving goals, penalties, direct red cards and mistaken identity.
The introduction of VAR will require suitable technical resources and an appropriate organisational structure before it can be put into operation.