No VAR in sight as referees conclude pre-season training

According to Fifa, it takes six weeks to train referees for VA

- By Kgomotso Mokoena

With the referees training ahead of the 2025/26 season having concluded on Friday, there was no video assistant referee (VAR) training conducted.

This means that the chances of having VAR in the coming season are very slim.

The much-talked about VAR has become a need and the prerequisite in the PSL, with officiating standards having gone to the dogs. Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie made an undertaking that there will be VAR in the PSL in the coming months. He reassured the football community that his department will either fund, or assist with the implementation of the technology.

But a well-placed insider mentioned that referees finished their training this past Friday and are ready to blow their whistles when the new season gets underway with the MTN8 on Saturday without udergoing VAR training.

MTN8 defending champions Orlando Pirates will get the ball rolling when they face Polokwane City at home on Saturday.