The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has started on Sunday its training programme for Egyptian referees to implement the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the domestic competitions in the upcoming weeks.

The first phase includes technical tests on VAR equipment at the sub-pitch of the Cairo International Stadium, and will last for two days.

The referees will then attend one-week lectures. During the four-week practical stage, the referees will be divided into 18 groups, each comprising three referees, according to the EFA statement on its official Facebook page.

"The timetable ensures applying VAR by the start of the second half of the Egyptian Premier League's current season, but the EFA is awaiting the official approval of the sports and youth ministry," said Mohamed Fadl, member of the EFA's normalisation committee.

The second half of the season will start in February.

"The EFA will inform the Egyptian Premier League with all the information on VAR, to receive their suggestions and implement the procedures needed for the success of the project," Fadl added.

Egyptian referees have come under stern criticism in the past few seasons and the majority of clubs have requested the implementation of VAR to avoid obvious mistakes that overshadowed several games.

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