Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has given the South African Football Association (SAFA) 21 days to repay R13 million allocated towards Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology.

The ultimatum comes amid growing frustration over delays in introducing VAR to South African football.

Government transferred funding to SAFA earlier this year to help move the long-awaited project forward. In March, McKenzie said National Treasury had transferred the money and that his department had fulfilled its responsibility in the process.

VAR rollout faces further delays

SAFA later confirmed receiving R20 million from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture for the VAR project.

The association said the money had been placed in a ring-fenced account specifically for the implementation of the technology.

However, hopes that South African football fans would see VAR during the 2026/27 season were dealt a blow in July.

SAFA head of referees Abdul Ebrahim said the association was not ready to introduce the system during the season because extensive training still needed to take place.

Ebrahim said a project team had been established, but its proposal still required approval from SAFA’s National Executive Committee.

McKenzie pushes SAFA for answers

McKenzie has repeatedly pushed for VAR to be introduced in domestic football.

Earlier in August, he wrote to SAFA seeking an update on the project after another refereeing controversy brought the debate over VAR back into focus.

The minister has previously argued that introducing the technology would improve fairness and the overall quality of South African football.

During his department’s 2026/27 budget vote, McKenzie said SAFA had agreed to finalise procurement for VAR equipment and that an implementation roadmap had been outlined.

His latest 21-day ultimatum now puts further pressure on the football association over the R13 million in VAR funding.

The dispute adds another chapter to South Africa’s prolonged effort to introduce the technology already used across major football competitions worldwide.