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A Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Workshop commenced in the Zambian capital Lusaka on Monday, bringing together 40 male and female referees for an intensive five-day training programme.
This groundbreaking workshop is the first of its kind in East, Central, and Southern Africa, marking a major step forward in adopting VAR technology.
The workshop is being conducted by leading global and regional experts, including FIFA IT Technology Support and COSAFA VAR specialist Ramy Gamal,
FIFA VAR Instructor Carlos Astroza and COSAFA Referees Manager Felix Tangawarima, who also doubles as VAR project manager.
Speaking on the sidelines workshop, Tangawarima emphasised COSAFA’s commitment to VAR implementation, confirming that all COSAFA tournaments in 2024 will feature VAR.
“For this year 2025, all our tournaments in COSAFA will be done with VAR,” he said.
“Zambia is the first country in the Central, East and Southern zones to get the proper VAR project role out and we are going to be with the referees (in Lusaka) for the next five days where we anticipate every referee will do a minimum of 25 hours training.
“For a referee to be certified, they have to be trained and go through a minimum of 25 hours.”
Tangawarima said the training programme is vital in preparing and equipping Zambian referees as the Zambian Super League gears up to introduce VAR in the upcoming season.
“Zambia intends to introduce VAR in the league in the coming seasons and for them to be able to do that, we have to train as many referees as possible.
“We have 40 Super League referees who will be trained and certified at this groundbreaking VAR proper package.
“We started a pilot project for the (2023 Absa) Cup final of the Zambian game. We didn’t use Zambian referees because we didn’t have VAR-certified referees,” explained Tangawarima.
FAZ President Andrew Kamanga, who officiated at the opening ceremony, thanked COSAFA for bringing the initiative to Zambia.
“Please deliver this message to the COSAFA Executive that we are indeed very grateful that you have been able to come and support us with this initiative.
“There can be no successful implementation of VAR without trained personnel. This exercise is critical in ensuring that we are ready for the undertaking that we have signed up,” Kamanga said.
“We are already doing a lot of work in our game to incorporate technology as witnessed by the recent handover of Global Tracking System equipment for all our Super League teams for both men and women.
“All these developments are embedded in our 10-year strategic plan that we are calling Vision 2030.”
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Former Nigeria Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro, who is now in charge at Zamalek of Egypt has promised to take the club to lofty heights.
He promised to lead the club to victory in the next matches, stressing that developing the team’s performance is also a priority for him.
On Friday, the Cairo giants unveiled the Portuguese as the coach, taking over from Swiss manager Christian Gross.
“My target is to win and develop the performance. Those who know Zamalek players realize that they are amazing,” the 64-year-old tactician told the club’s TV channel.
“Zamalek fans are wonderful, and they always provide an astonishing atmosphere. We want them to stand behind the team. Sometimes, they become angry when the team loses, but we want them behind us. All the club wants to please them.”
Peseiro arrived in Cairo on Thursday to finalize a one-and-a-half-year contract with Zamalek. No financial details were announced, but Peseiro will reportedly earn $70,000 monthly during the first six months.
The team’s uninspiring performance influenced the decision to part ways with Gross only two months into his second term with the White Knights, with eight wins, three losses, and two draws in 13 matches in the Egyptian Premier League.
Peseiro is set to assume his new role immediately as Zamalek prepares to face Petrojet on Sunday in the Egyptian Premier League before facing archrivals Ahly in the Cairo derby next Saturday.
Despite the challenges that await Peseiro, who worked previously in a short stint as Ahly’s coach during the 2015-16 season, the Portuguese tactician remains optimistic about delivering good results.
“My plan is to win in the next games. Zamalek coach should be always seeking victory whether in the home and away games,” the new coach explained.
“I promise to win and so I came here. I took the charge as I believe that we are capable of doing so,” he added.
Gross, 72, leaves Zamalek positioned third in the Egyptian League table with 26 points, trailing leaders Pyramids FC by four points and archrivals Ahly by three points.
Peseiro finally stressed that he prefers playing attacking football, adding that the team should always fight to win until the dying minutes.
Peseiro brings a wealth of experience from his stints with big names, including Porto and Sporting Braga in Portugal, Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, Panathinaikos in Greece, and UAE’s Al-Wehda.
Peseiro’s notable achievements include guiding Sporting to the Europa League final in 2005.
He also has experience on the international level, having managed Saudi Arabia and Venezuela and guided Nigeria to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
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Easily Africa’s most successful club and having the largest fan base, Al Ahly of Egypt is taking another giant step. The Egyptian football powerhouse, renowned for its consistent success at both domestic and continental levels, is embarking on an ambitious project to build a sprawling sports city west of Cairo.
The club announced at the weekend during the exhibition of the FIFA Club World Cup trophy in Cairo.
According to the Egyptian publication, Ahram, the Ahly project is backed by a consortium of local and international partners, the landmark project aims to transform Egypt’s sports infrastructure and cement Al Ahly’s status as a continental powerhouse
Founded on 24 April 1907 by Omar Lotfy, Al-Ahly has a record of 44 Egyptian Premier League titles, 39 Egypt Cup titles, and 15 Egyptian Super Cups.
On the continent, Al Ahly won four African Cup Winners’ Cup, the most of any team during the competition between 1975 and 2004.
They also have won the CAF Champions League eleven times which is also the most of any team.
The hub of the new project is a 42,000-seat stadium that is designed without a running track to maximize fan proximity to the pitch and align with global standards.
The other facilities of the proposed sports city will include a sports hospital, a museum chronicling the club’s 120-year legacy, a sports university, a youth academy, and a hotel.
It will be executed in phases. Phase one will prioritize the stadium and hotel, while phase two introduces the university, hospital, and auxiliary training pitches.
According to Ahram, Egyptian financial heavyweight Beltone Leasing & Factoring has committed $80 million which is about 4 billion Egyptian pounds to the project.
The developer Al Qalaa Al Hamraa for Facilities Management has also secured additional funding to meet the total estimated cost of 8 to 9 Egyptian pounds.
Beltone’s role as exclusive financial advisor highlights the initiative’s strategic importance to Egypt’s economic and sporting ambitions.
The collaboration includes 15 global and regional firms, such as Hilton International, UAE-based Palm Sport, and leading engineering consultancies, ensuring world-class execution.
Design Reveal & Timeline
The stadium’s final design was unveiled at a high-profile ceremony in Luxor’s Hatshepsut Temple, attended by club dignitaries and partners.
The event also served as a prelude to Ahly’s upcoming participation in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
Construction is set to begin immediately, with completion targeted within 200 weeks (approximately four years).
Ahly President Mahmoud El-Khatib hailed the project as a “historic milestone,” emphasizing its role in diversifying the club’s revenue streams and elevating Egypt’s global sports profile.
Mohamed Kamel, CEO of Al Qalaa Al Hamraa, added: “This isn’t just a stadium – it’s a holistic hub for health, education, and athletic excellence.”
During his address, Kamel unveiled the stadium’s closely guarded design via a video showcasing its standout features, including stands emblazoned with the club’s iconic name and logo, a suspended circular screen beneath the roof, premium changing rooms, and adjacent restaurants and cafés.
The sports city is poised to boost tourism, generate employment, and inspire future athletes. By integrating cutting-edge medical, educational, and training facilities, the project aims to nurture homegrown talent and position Egypt as a regional sports leader.
With groundwork now underway, Ahly’s legion of supporters eagerly anticipates a new era for the club and Egyptian sport.
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Brazilian forward Neymar made his long-awaited return to his childhood club Santos in a lacklustre 1-1 draw with Botafogo in the Brazilian Paulista Championship on Wednesday.
The Urbano Caldeira stadium erupted in celebration as jubilant and tearful fans lit up their mobile phones to give the striker, who left the club 12 years ago, a hero’s welcome before kick-off.
Neymar, who was celebrating his 33rd birthday, started on the bench and came on after the break as Santos had taken the lead through Tiquinho Soares’ first-half penalty.
However, the forward struggled under the pressure of his first game in 16 months.
He tried to conjure up some of the magic that placed him among the world’s best for five years at Barcelona, but it wasn’t enough.
Botafogo equalised through Alexandre de Jesus in the 67th minute. Wallison was sent off four minutes later for a foul on Neymar but Santos were unable to take advantage of their superior numbers.
“I can’t find the words to express the feeling when you love something. I love Santos very much and I can’t find the words to describe the feeling I felt when I stepped out onto the pitch today,” Neymar said after the match.
“It was a very difficult game. I had even commented that my father was there on the side. I said, it’s a difficult game, they’re marking a lot at the back, they’re a team that defends a lot, a lot of hitting. And they found a ball and scored. I think it’s time for me to be patient and get some practice,” the player added.
Neymar, who joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal from Paris St Germain, was limited to seven appearances after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October.
His return to Santos is a deal that the forward has said will bring his illustrious career full circle, as he tries to do what he loves most: “play football again”.
-Reuters
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