Zimbabwe’s FIFA-led VAR training programme is scheduled to run from October 25 through November 16, the same day as the Chibuku Super Cup final. So the target date is not sitting comfortably after preparation. It lands right at the end of the planned training window. There is no spare week between training and the proposed launch.
CAF referees manager Felix Tangawarima has already warned that Zimbabwe could miss November 16 if officials are not ready. His point matters because FIFA, not ZIFA or COSAFA, controls the certification step for the officials involved in the rollout. Seven Zimbabwean officials already have VAR training, which helps, but previous exposure does not remove the approval process for a new domestic competition.
The planned first domestic VAR match therefore depends on more than getting trained referees into a booth. FIFA says every new competition organiser must complete a five-step IAAP process, and the technology itself has to be tested and approved. Stadiums where the organiser has never used VAR also require technology testing before competitive use.
FIFA draws a useful line between testing and the real thing. Assessment and approval are not mandatory for non-competitive matches, although FIFA recommends the same standards, while competitive use has to clear the formal process. So training sessions, simulations or trial runs can happen without proving the Chibuku final is ready for an authorised VAR operation.
The technical side can be easy to miss because most of the public conversation is about referees. FIFA’s current quality programme checks whether a VAR system delivers acceptable synchronicity, latency and video quality. Equipment and feeds have to work together properly in the video operation room, so buying cameras or finding a sponsor is not the same thing as passing the technical gate. Even certified VAR hardware is not enough by itself if the specific stadium setup has not been tested for the organiser’s competitive use.
A useful comparison comes from a 2020 case study of Israel’s VAR rollout, where referees went through 45 hours of instruction plus simulator work, live simulations and offline practice during real league matches. Zimbabwe does not have to copy Israel’s timetable, and the two rollouts are not directly equivalent. The comparison is useful because it shows how VAR preparation can involve far more than classroom hours and a final certificate.
Zimbabwe does have a head start. Seven officials have already received VAR training through CAF and COSAFA, while Brighton Chimene has experience on continental assignments. Even so, the current project is also supposed to develop local operations staff and technicians, which means the referee group is only one part of the crew FIFA needs to be satisfied with.
Funding improves the odds of getting the hardware and venues ready, and Sakunda Holdings has said it will support VAR implementation at Rufaro Stadium, Barbourfields and the National Sports Stadium. FIFA approval is still a separate hurdle. A financed setup can fail testing just as an experienced referee can still need more work under a new certification process.
FIFA’s framework makes the order pretty unforgiving. People need to be trained, the system needs to meet technical standards, the intended venue needs to pass the relevant checks, and the competition organiser needs permission for competitive use. If any of those pieces remain open, November 16 can arrive with Zimbabwe’s planned VAR debut still waiting for clearance.
CAF referees manager Felix Tangawarima has already warned that Zimbabwe could miss November 16 if officials are not ready. His point matters because FIFA, not ZIFA or COSAFA, controls the certification step for the officials involved in the rollout. Seven Zimbabwean officials already have VAR training, which helps, but previous exposure does not remove the approval process for a new domestic competition.
Zimbabwe is still in the approval phase
ZIFA has kicked off the project, brought FIFA experts into the process and secured financial backing for implementation. None of it means VAR can simply be switched on for a competitive final. IFAB rules only permit its use once the competition organiser has completed FIFA’s Implementation Assistance and Approval Programme requirements and received written permission.The planned first domestic VAR match therefore depends on more than getting trained referees into a booth. FIFA says every new competition organiser must complete a five-step IAAP process, and the technology itself has to be tested and approved. Stadiums where the organiser has never used VAR also require technology testing before competitive use.
FIFA draws a useful line between testing and the real thing. Assessment and approval are not mandatory for non-competitive matches, although FIFA recommends the same standards, while competitive use has to clear the formal process. So training sessions, simulations or trial runs can happen without proving the Chibuku final is ready for an authorised VAR operation.
The technical side can be easy to miss because most of the public conversation is about referees. FIFA’s current quality programme checks whether a VAR system delivers acceptable synchronicity, latency and video quality. Equipment and feeds have to work together properly in the video operation room, so buying cameras or finding a sponsor is not the same thing as passing the technical gate. Even certified VAR hardware is not enough by itself if the specific stadium setup has not been tested for the organiser’s competitive use.
Training is only one moving part
Tangawarima says referees need a minimum of 25 hours of VAR training, and FIFA will lead the programme before deciding whether officials meet the required standard. A minimum is still a minimum. It does not guarantee that every official finishes ready for competitive use on the date printed on the schedule.A useful comparison comes from a 2020 case study of Israel’s VAR rollout, where referees went through 45 hours of instruction plus simulator work, live simulations and offline practice during real league matches. Zimbabwe does not have to copy Israel’s timetable, and the two rollouts are not directly equivalent. The comparison is useful because it shows how VAR preparation can involve far more than classroom hours and a final certificate.
Zimbabwe does have a head start. Seven officials have already received VAR training through CAF and COSAFA, while Brighton Chimene has experience on continental assignments. Even so, the current project is also supposed to develop local operations staff and technicians, which means the referee group is only one part of the crew FIFA needs to be satisfied with.
November 16 has almost no room for slippage
The awkward bit is the schedule itself. Training is due to run until November 16, while November 16 is also the proposed debut date. If an official needs more practical work, a technical test has to be repeated, or a venue setup falls short, there is barely any calendar space left to fix it before the final.Funding improves the odds of getting the hardware and venues ready, and Sakunda Holdings has said it will support VAR implementation at Rufaro Stadium, Barbourfields and the National Sports Stadium. FIFA approval is still a separate hurdle. A financed setup can fail testing just as an experienced referee can still need more work under a new certification process.
FIFA’s framework makes the order pretty unforgiving. People need to be trained, the system needs to meet technical standards, the intended venue needs to pass the relevant checks, and the competition organiser needs permission for competitive use. If any of those pieces remain open, November 16 can arrive with Zimbabwe’s planned VAR debut still waiting for clearance.
