Tanzania Set to Make African History With Football Video Support System

Posted : 17 August 2026

Tanzania is set to become the first African country to introduce Football Video Support, or FVS, in its domestic top-flight league. The Tanzania Football Federation has confirmed that the system will be deployed in the 2026/27 NBC Premier League season as part of efforts to improve refereeing standards.

The technology is designed as a lower-cost alternative to the traditional Video Assistant Referee system. FIFA developed FVS for competitions that may not have the financial or technical resources required to operate a full VAR setup.

TFF president Wallace Karia said the federation had been working with FIFA and the Confederation of African Football on the introduction of the technology. He described Video Support as a practical option that can provide referees with additional assistance without the heavy costs associated with VAR.

Unlike VAR, FVS does not use a permanent team of video match officials to monitor the game. Instead, it uses available broadcast footage and allows teams to request reviews of key decisions through a challenge system.

Each team is expected to receive four review opportunities per match. A successful challenge is retained, while an unsuccessful review results in the loss of one challenge.

The system can be used for specific match-changing incidents. These include goals and attacking-phase offences, penalty decisions, direct red cards and cases involving mistaken identity. The on-field referee remains responsible for the final decision after reviewing the footage.

The move represents another step in Tanzania’s wider push to modernise domestic officiating. The country is also progressing with preparations for conventional VAR, with the TFF launching the fifth phase of its VAR training programme for selected referees and FIFA instructors in July.

FVS could offer Tanzania and other African leagues a more affordable route towards greater use of video technology. The system has already been used in FIFA competitions and is also being implemented in the Canadian Premier League during the 2026 season.

For Tanzanian football, the introduction of FVS places the NBC Premier League at the centre of a significant technological experiment. The federation will hope the system reduces controversial decisions while improving confidence in domestic match officiating.

Tanzania Set to Make African History With Football Video Support System

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