By Caroline Washaya-Moyo
Zimbabwean football is set to enter a new era in match officiating, with Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology scheduled to make its domestic debut during the Chibuku Super Cup final on 16 November 2026.
The planned introduction will mark the first use of VAR in a domestic football fixture in Zimbabwe and forms part of broader efforts to modernise match officiating and bring local football closer to international standards.
VAR will also be deployed from the semi-final stage of the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup, extending the use of video-assisted officiating to another major domestic competition.
According to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), a FIFA-led training programme will run from 25 October to 16 November, with referees and other match officials being prepared to operate the system.
The training programme is expected to be an important component of the rollout, as officials need to be adequately trained before VAR can be used in competitive matches.
The introduction of the technology is expected to strengthen the accuracy of key match decisions by giving referees the opportunity to review selected incidents with the assistance of video technology.
VAR is generally used to review major match-changing incidents, including goals and potential infringements leading to goals, penalty decisions, direct red-card incidents and cases of mistaken identity.
For Zimbabwean football, the rollout represents a significant technological development in domestic match administration.
However, the successful implementation of VAR will require not only trained referees, but also the necessary technical infrastructure, equipment and operational support at participating stadiums.
The FIFA-led training programme will therefore be critical in ensuring that Zimbabwean match officials understand both the technical operation of the system and the protocols governing its use.
The Chibuku Super Cup final on 16 November is consequently expected to provide a landmark moment for domestic football, as Zimbabwe takes its first major step towards incorporating video-assisted officiating into its competitions.
The deployment of VAR from the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup semi-finals will further expand the country’s practical experience with the technology and provide officials with additional opportunities to operate the system in competitive environments.
The introduction comes as Zimbabwean football continues efforts to modernise its administration, infrastructure and match-day operations, with technology increasingly becoming an important part of contemporary football officiating.
