Video Assistant Referee is now accepted worldwide and it is believed to be very expensive so only the super-rich countries are using them in the domestic leagues. For international games, it is part of almost every continent’s top competition.
In Africa, only Morocco and Algeria use VAR in their leagues. Surprisingly, minnows Mauritania are set to join these two countries as the only countries using the Video Assistant Referee in their leagues.
Mauritanian FA President Ahmed Yahya has taken a bold step in the bid to continue his wonderful legacy as one of the best FA presidents on the continent.
Mauritania officially has begun steps to introduce VAR in the Super D1 ahead of the start of the 2024-25 football season.
FIFA’s VAR expert team has been in the country since Wednesday and has begun the training session on how to use VAR with match officials.
Top referees Dahane Beida and Aziz Bouh and other highly rated referees are under training from the FIFA experts.
The sessions will be held in the mornings and evenings for five periods with more training sessions to take place in the coming months.
Officials who will pass this training will receive a license and certificate before they can qualify.
Many Stadia in Mauritania do not meet the standard for VAR but plans are underway to improve those venues.
Mauritania is becoming a super nation in football as the minnows have been regulars in recent AFCONs and Nouadhibou made it to the Money Zone of the CAF Champions League in the 2023-24 season.
