VAR arrives in Ivorian football

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) will make its debut in the Ivory Coast Ligue 1 this coming Saturday, May 3rd, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) has confirmed. Two Ligue 1 games will feature VAR for the first time this weekend at the Robert Champroux Stadium.

Round 28 matches between Mouna vs. Stade d’Abidjan and Académie de FAD vs. Stella Adjame will have VAR involved for the first time in Ivorian Ligue 1. FIF stated that the introduction of VAR reflects the desire to align the local competition with international standards. FIF hopes this new development will ensure fairness, transparency, and professionalism in the top flight.

VAR arrives in Ivorian football

The VAR system was tested by experts from FIFA. Training of referees and technical personnel was also conducted by the Ivorian federation in collaboration with FIFA. FIF has encouraged fans to attend the two matches in large numbers, as this marks a historic milestone for football in the West African country.

Morocco’s Botola Pro league and the Egyptian Nile League were pioneers in Africa in implementing VAR in local league matches. Mauritania recently followed suit. South Africa and Tanzania are also reportedly preparing to introduce VAR in their respective domestic leagues. This recent move by Ivory Coast makes them the first West African country to implement VAR.