Zimbabwean oil company Sakunda Holdings has pledged to fund the installation of a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system at the giant National Sports Stadium (NSS).
VAR is a match-official support system used in soccer to review clear and obvious errors or serious missed incidents during a game. It involves a dedicated team of certified video match officials sitting in a Video Operation Room watching multiple camera angles. Every critical play is automatically monitored in the background without stopping the game. If the video team spots a clear error, they inform the on-field referee via an audio headset. The on-field referee always makes the final call and can choose to review footage on a pitch-side monitor.
Sakunda confirmed Friday it was bankrolling installation of the technology. This followed a meeting between Sakunda Holdings owner Kuda Tagwirei and ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi.
As part of its promise, Sakunda said it will help to fund and install VAR sets for three Zimbabwean stadiums namely NSS, Rufaro Stadium and Barbourfields.
Of the three, they will start with NSS which was recently approved by the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF). The installation is targeted for completion by December 2026.
After installing at NSS, Rufaro and Barbourfields will follow suit with a target to complete all the three stadiums by March 2027.
Sakunda is one of Zimbabwe’s private players which has supported government in developing football in Zimbabwe. The oil company recently completed NSS renovations which then saw it being homologated by CAF after five years.
VAR has been long overdue in local football amid the crucifixion of referees for poor match officiating. Therefore, VAR will help in ruling for offside, fouls, or handballs and penalty decisions that have often plunged games into chaos.
As of this year, more than 10 referees have so far been suspended by ZIFA’s Referees Committee for poor officiating.
