Local Egyptian league introduces VAR to Ramadan matches

CAIRO : A local amateur league in Egypt has gained popularity this year following the introduction of a Video Assistant Referee (VAR)-like system to help referees judge soccer games based on recorded images on a laptop.

The league takes place in the village of Kafr Abd Al Mu'min in the governorate of Daqahliyah during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, with two matches held before sunset when Muslims break their fast.

The VAR, which is only used in top division tournaments in Egypt, has been set up locally by connecting mobile phones or cameras to a laptop.

Around 16 teams usually take part in the league but this year 24 are battling it out for the trophy, the maximum number of participants in the league’s history, said organiser Mohamed Ismael.