The Video Assistant Referee will be introduced to Nigerianfootball for the first time, when the 2020 National Sports Festival begins on March 22, courtesy of the Edo State Government.

With the development, the football event of the festivaltagged Edo 2020 will be officiated by referees, assistant referees and VAR technology, the first time ever in the history of Nigerian football.

It was learnt that as part of efforts to host a memorable festival and provide world-class sporting facilities across the state, the Edo State Government installed VAR technology at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium,Benin City, in line with global standard of football officiating.

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One of the workers in the VAR Room Chinedu Agbo said the VAR cameras could also capture happenings outside the stadium.

“The high resolution cameras inside the VAR Room have a capacity that can capture activities five kilometres within the stadium. So, it invariably means that the VAR technology at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium is amongst the best anywhere in the world,” Agbo stated.

Musa Ebomhiana, the Chief Press Secretary to the Edo StateDeputy Governor, said the introduction of VAR for the upcoming festival was a sign that the state was ready to host the best Games ever in the country.