Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture Gayton McKenzie has assured football followers that the video assistant referee (VAR) technology will become a reality in the next coming weeks.
The minister was speaking at the Freedom Museum and Heritage Site in Pretoria on Thursday, where he addressed several pertinent issues, including the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup and other matters concerning arts and culture.
McKenzie also put to bed the issue surrounding SA superfan Mama Joy, who has been in the news recently regarding her funding for various tournament appearances.
The lack of VAR in the Premier Soccer League has been a thorny issue in the last couple of seasons.
After McKenzie announced the transfer of funding to Safa, cries for the technology escalated.
“You will remember that the question of VAR in our domestic football has been a matter of ongoing public conversation,” said the minister.
“Safa is on the verge of announcing the chosen supplier for the technology, and we have been assured that the installation of the equipment in the chosen VAR rooms can happen within days—to be followed by the specialised training for the VAR technicians and referees.”
“If there is no VAR by next season, it means that there is corruption at Safa—it means that those people do not want VAR. It also means that people are benefitting when VAR is not around. We will not take it lying down, and we will name people.
“I have given Safa the timelines, and if there is no VAR, we will talk to the sponsors. We will approach FIFA, and we will investigate.
“We will have VAR soon. We are the best league on the continent and cannot be beaten by Tanzania,” said McKenzie.
Bafana Bafana v Mexico legends rematch
On June 8, three days before Bafana Bafana play Mexico in the opening match, the legends of the 2010 Bafana squad are set to walk out onto a pitch in Pachuca, Mexico, to face the legends of the 2010 Mexican squad in a rematch.
Safa and the South African Masters and Legends Football Association have been working together to identify 20 of the players and team management from the 2010 squad.
“The playing kit will be secured by Safa through its sponsor, Adidas. The venue and the match are being hosted in partnership with Pachuca—whose Club Pachuca – Los Tuzos is one of the most storied football clubs in Mexico.
“We are deeply grateful to Pachuca for the role they are playing in making the partnership possible. This is not a match happening next to the World Cup; this is a match happening because two football nations, with a shared moment in history, decided to honour that moment properly.”
“After the match, our Legends will stay on. On 9 and 10 June, they will conduct coaching clinics—sharing what they learned at that World Cup with young Mexican players and with South African diaspora footballers.
“On June 11, they will be in the stadium when Bafana walks out to face Mexico in the opening match. And on June 12, they come home,” he added.
From June 7-12, the department—together with Brand South Africa and SA Tourism—will host the Ekhaya Centre in Mexico City.
“We will open the Ekhaya Centre officially on June 7. Wherever South Africans gather in the world, we need a place we can call ekhaya [home].
“Ekhaya will be a place to watch football. It will be a place to see South African art, to hear South African music, and to eat South African food. It will be a media centre for the journalists covering Bafana’s campaign.
“It will be a fan park and a fan engagement space. It will be a venue for business and investment networking—because when our flag is flying, our economy should be working alongside it.”
- Sport Minister Gayton McKenzie announced VAR technology will be implemented in South African domestic football within weeks, with SAFA close to selecting a supplier and setting up installations and training.
- McKenzie warned of corruption if VAR is not introduced by next season, pledging government intervention including engaging sponsors and FIFA.
- A rematch between the 2010 Bafana Bafana and Mexico legends is scheduled for June 8 in Pachuca, Mexico, followed by coaching clinics and Bafana's opening World Cup match on June 11.
- The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Brand South Africa, and SA Tourism will open the Ekhaya Centre in Mexico City from June 7-12 as a cultural, media, and fan engagement hub during the World Cup.
- McKenzie addressed recent controversy over superfan Mama Joy's tournament funding and highlighted ongoing preparations related to South Africa's involvement in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture Gayton McKenzie has assured football followers that the video assistant referee (VAR) technology will become a reality in the next coming weeks.
McKenzie also put to bed the issue surrounding SA superfan Mama Joy, who has been in the news recently regarding her funding for various tournament appearances.
After McKenzie announced the transfer of funding to Safa, cries for the technology escalated.
“You will remember that the question of VAR in our domestic football has been a matter of ongoing public conversation,” said the minister.
“Safa is on the verge of announcing the chosen supplier for the technology, and we have been assured that the installation of the equipment in the chosen VAR rooms can happen within days—to be followed by the specialised training for the VAR technicians and referees.”
“If there is no VAR by next season, it means that there is corruption at Safa—it means that those people do not want VAR. It also means that people are benefitting when VAR is not around. We will not take it lying down, and we will name people.
"I have given Safa the timelines, and if there is no VAR, we will talk to the sponsors. We will approach FIFA, and we will investigate.
"We will have VAR soon. We are the best league on the continent and cannot be beaten by Tanzania," said McKenzie.
On June 8, three days before Bafana Bafana play Mexico in the opening match, the legends of the 2010 Bafana squad are set to walk out onto a pitch in Pachuca, Mexico, to face the legends of the 2010 Mexican squad in a rematch.
Safa and the
“
"We are deeply grateful to Pachuca for the role they are playing in making the partnership possible.
“After the match, our
"On June 11, they will be in the stadium when Bafana walks out to face Mexico in the opening match.
From June 7-12, the department—together with
“We will open the
"
"It will be a fan park and a fan engagement space. It will be a venue for business and investment networking—because when our flag is flying, our economy should be working alongside it.”
