CAF: VAR announced for group stages, implementation still to follow

Hespress reported on 9 October 2026 that Samson Adamu, CAF’s acting secretary general, announced the extension of video assistant refereeing to the group stages of the Champions League and Confederation Cup from the 2026-2027 season.

AfricaSoccer also reported the announcement, made on the sidelines of CAF’s strategy conference in Cape Verde. The announced change would broaden VAR use in both club competitions; these reports do not establish that every stadium already has the necessary system.

For Moroccan clubs reaching those stages, the issue will also be practical: equipment, video teams and match organisation. A common rule gains its full meaning when the conditions for applying it are clearly established at every ground.

Operational details and the first matches concerned will need to be followed. VAR can give referees additional images; it does not remove the need to explain decisions or check consistency in its use. The announcement opens a stage whose implementation remains to be observed.