In a bold move aimed at silencing controversy and sharpening decision-making, Fabrice Shema, President of the Rwanda Football Association (FERWAFA), confirmed on Monday that Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology will be rolled out for testing in the second round of the 2025/26 Rwanda Premier League.
Shema told reporters the rollout will be paired with specialised referee training not the usual trickle of a couple of officials shipped abroad, but a local, largescale upskilling drive.
“In our zone, the VAR department is based in Tanzania, but I told them there’s no need to send just two referees for training out of 200,” he said. “Instead, we have requested that experts from Tanzania come to Rwanda so that we can train a larger group locally.”
“It’s likely that we will begin testing VAR in the first few matches of the second round.” Fabrice Shema
The announcement arrives amid growing disquiet over match officials: the season has reached Matchday Five and refereeing concerns have already seen multiple officials suspended, with clubs repeatedly raising alarms about inconsistent calls.
FERWAFA’s VAR gambit is being framed as a refereeing renaissance, a tech-boosted safety net to restore trust, reduce human error, and bring a sharper, silicon-sighted eye to the beautiful game.
Shema’s plan envisions visiting Tanzanian experts delivering hands-on training in Rwanda so a wider pool of referees can climb the VAR learning curve together.
The association is positioning the pilot as a cautious, test-first approach, watchful and iterative, with full implementation targeted for next season once training and trialling wrap up.
