VAR to be used across all African World Cup playoffs

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) will be in use in all the 10 Africa World Cup playoff matches set for March 25 and March 29, Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) has confirmed.

Five matches are lined up for the final 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in the continent, with the eventual winners in the two-legged clashes earning their places at the global showpiece set for December.

Ghana and Nigeria lock horns, with Egypt and Senegal repeating the AFCON final in the other encounter as Cameroon face Algeria. DR Congo square it out with Morocco with Mali and Tunisia facing off in the other match.

A statement by the continental body confirmed the development, saying that it was a confirmation by CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe during CAF's Executive Committee virtual meeting held on Wednesday afternoon.

"The Executive Committee discussed the upcoming competitions including this weekend’s FIFA World Cup 2022™ qualifiers. President Motsepe confirmed that Video Assistant Referee (VAR) will be used at all the African qualifier matches between 25 and 29 March 2022," part of the statement read.

Away from World Cup qualifiers, CAF is set to establish a satellite office in Ivory Coast in an attempt to help fast track the country's preparedness for AFCON 2023 and will work closely with the government and the LOC having received reports from its inspection delegations.

"CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba, who visited Cote d’Ivoire to meet government and local authorities, gave an update on the preparations for TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023. The Executive Committee noted the progress and will continue to engage the hosts on a number of pending matters. CAF will establish a satellite office in Cote d’Ivoire that will work closely with the LOC and the government," the statement further stated.