MBABANE – Eswatini’s leading video assistant referee (VAR) official, Letticia Viana, is now just weeks away from discovering if she has secured a historic place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Viana has returned from a pivotal International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) VAR seminar in Doha, Qatar, a key part of the global selection process for officials for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The seminar, which concluded on February 5, assembled 26 elite candidates from Asia and Africa for intensive, practical training using advanced VAR simulators to replicate high-pressure match scenarios.
The event, overseen by FIFA’s refereeing department and the Qatar Football Association, was hailed as a critical step. Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, described such seminars as ‘an important motivational milestone’ for officials in contention for the World Cup and future tournaments.
Sources close to the selection process indicate that the final list of appointed match officials will be released by FIFA in late March. This follows a series of further seminars, including one for women officials nominated for the 2027 Women’s World Cup next week, and a final gathering for on-field referees from Asia, Africa and Oceania at the end of February.
The competition for a limited number of VAR positions is understood to be exceptionally fierce. Historical precedent suggests a challenging path for officials from the African confederation, with only a select few being chosen for the previous World Cup.
This reality fosters a strong sense of camaraderie during assessments, with candidates often collaborating to ensure the highest possible collective standard in tests and practical assignments.
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