Alex Neequaye Kotey, the referee manager for the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has unveiled advanced plans to introduce Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Lite into the Ghana Premier League.

The announcement was made during the launch of the 2024 Ghana Football Awards.

Kotey explained that the decision to adopt VAR Lite, rather than the standard VAR system, is driven by financial constraints. Despite the limitations of VAR Lite, Kotey is optimistic about its potential impact on officiating in the league.

“We are working assiduously on that – providing VAR – we have not let it go. FIFA is trying to introduce a less costly VAR which is the VAR Lite, so when the VAR Lite comes, we will see how best we can bring it on because that one doesn’t need a lot of cameras,” Kotey told Citi Sports.

He acknowledged that the Lite version may have fewer cameras and lack certain features of the full VAR setup but emphasized that it represents a significant step forward for the league. “The only challenge there is that you don’t get some features in the VAR Lite as compared to the full VAR, but of course, it is just a stepping stone,” Kotey added.

This initiative aims to help officials reduce errors due to oversights, thereby improving the integrity of the game in the Ghana Premier League. The adoption of VAR Lite is expected to enhance the accuracy of refereeing decisions, contributing to fairer and more transparent matches.

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