Did Gayton McKenzie fall short on his VAR promise?

Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has questioned whether South Africa is ready to implement Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology ahead of the upcoming Premier Soccer League (PSL) season.

This follows months of assurances that VAR would be rolled out on time.

Addressing Parliament earlier this week, McKenzie stated that the government is “still finalising the process of funding VAR”, a statement that contradicts his earlier comments where he claimed the necessary R90 million was already secured.

“We are finalising the process of funding VAR to ensure that football matches, from the Premier Soccer League through to international fixtures we host, are fairer and meet global standards,” said McKenzie.

‘Assured the public’

The minister previously travelled to Spain to test the technology and assured the public that VAR implementation was on the way.

However, his latest comments have left supporters feeling confused and doubtful.

“Let’s give SAFA a chance to finalise,” he added.

“There will be VAR in our soccer in South Africa.”

McKenzie first pushed for VAR after controversial refereeing decisions in a high-profile match between Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns.

His strong support convinced many fans that the technology would be introduced this year.

Despite that, the South African Football Association (SAFA) still hasn’t released an official rollout timeline or shared details about referee training and infrastructure readiness.

Now, football fans and stakeholders are questioning whether the long-promised technology will be ready for the 2025/26 PSL season.