SAFA Says R20-Million VAR Grant Untouched As It Seeks DSAC’s Patience Over Stalled Rollout

JOHANNESBURG – The South African Football Association (SAFA) has moved to reassure the football fraternity that the R20 million it received from government to fund the long-awaited introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system remains fully intact, even as the project itself continues to stall more than four months after the funds were transferred.

In a statement, SAFA said the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) paid over the R20 million in April to support VAR’s implementation in South African football, but that the association has yet to sign a single contract with a service provider as it works through internal governance requirements.

“SAFA wishes to provide an update to its members, stakeholders, the football fraternity and the public on the status of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Project and the R20 million received from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture,” the association said.

Providers identified, but no deals signed

According to SAFA, groundwork on VAR had begun before the money even landed. The association says it had already carried out “a comprehensive technical evaluation of VAR technology and service providers and identified three preferred VAR providers” ahead of receiving the DSAC grant. Crucially, it stressed that “no contractual agreements were entered into by SAFA” with any of the three.

The project took a step forward at a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on 9 and 10 May, where members “approved the implementation of the VAR Project in principle.” That approval, however, came with a caveat: the NEC resolved that the budget, cost assumptions and procurement considerations first be sent back for further scrutiny by SAFA’s Finance Committee and a dedicated task team, “in accordance with SAFA’s governance and policy requirements,” before any money could be committed or tenders finalised.

PSL brought into the loop

SAFA also revealed that it has been consulting South Africa’s top-flight league on how VAR would actually work in practice. Through the Joint Liaison Committee (JLC), the body that coordinates between SAFA and the Premier Soccer League (PSL), the VAR Project Team presented its proposed implementation framework to both the JLC and the PSL’s Executive Committee as part of a broader stakeholder consultation process.

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The engagement matters because, as previous reporting on the issue has noted, PSL referees are appointed and funded by SAFA rather than the league itself, meaning any VAR rollout in the Premier Soccer League needs sign-off and coordination between the two bodies rather than a unilateral decision by either.

Money “has not been spent”

The most pointed part of Monday’s statement was SAFA’s acknowledgment that the process has dragged on longer than it should have paired with an assurance that the funds have not been touched in the meantime.

“SAFA acknowledges that the governance, financial verification and due diligence processes have taken longer than initially anticipated,” the association said. “However, it is important to emphasise that the R20 million received from DSAC has not been spent. The full amount remains secure in a separate account, together with the interest accrued, pending the completion of the outstanding governance, budget verification and procurement processes.”

DSAC grants a final 21-day extension

The delays prompted a direct engagement with the funding department on 18 August. SAFA said DSAC has since granted it “a final 21-day extension to conclude the outstanding processes and submit a comprehensive report on the project, including the recommendations arising from the review and confirmation of the funds held.”

The wording suggests the department’s patience has limits, and that SAFA is now working against a hard deadline to close out its internal review and account for the money in full.

SAFA closed its statement by thanking government for its continued backing. “SAFA appreciates the Minister’s and DSAC’s continued support and constructive engagement,” it said, adding that it “remains committed to ensuring that VAR is implemented in a manner that is transparent, financially responsible, compliant with governance and procurement requirements and sustainable.”

A long-running debate

VAR has been one of South African football’s most persistent talking points for years, with club coaches repeatedly airing frustration over refereeing decisions and calling for the technology’s introduction. Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has himself pushed publicly for VAR to be introduced in the PSL, while critics have warned that the system carries a steep price tag, FIFA has previously estimated the cost of running a full VAR set-up at around R50 million per season, for a football ecosystem that has often struggled with funding.

SAFA’s latest statement does not commit to a firm date for VAR’s introduction. Instead, it frames the coming three weeks as a decisive window in which the association must finalise its governance review, settle on a procurement path with one of its three shortlisted providers, and account fully to DSAC for how the R20 million grant will ultimately be spent.