Oceania Enters New Era With Landmark VAR Training Program

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Oceania football has reached a critical milestone in officiating modernization with the region’s first Video Assistant Referee (VAR) training course, conducted at the OFC Academy from May 25-31, 2025.

The intensive program marks Oceania’s decisive move toward implementing world-class refereeing technology across its competitions, led by OFC VAR Manager Jamie Cross and VAR Project Manager Mihaly Fabian. The course follows December 2024’s pivotal FIFA Individual VAR Kick-off meeting, which established the region’s VAR adoption framework.

Key Details:

• Participants: 24 match officials from 11 OFC member associations

• Curriculum: VAR protocol, video operation room procedures, decision-making simulations

• Instructors: FIFA-certified VAR trainers and technical specialists

Two FIFA-qualified referees, New Zealand’s Beth Rattray and Fiji’s Veer Singh, provided firsthand accounts of the rigorous training.

“This isn’t just about learning technology – it’s about elevating the entire standard of football in Oceania,” said Rattray.

Implementation Timeline:

✅ 2025: Training and system testing
✅ 2026: Pilot program in OFC Champions League
✅ 2027: Full implementation across OFC competitions