The FIFA World Cup is the showpiece event of the world’s most popular sport. Hosted by Russia, the 2018 edition was followed closely in South Africa, even though Bafana Bafana did not qualify. So, what did the South African media focus on during the competition? Focal Points looked at two prominent topics: the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system and the performances of African teams.
VAR from Perfect?
The introduction of video technology at the 2018 FIFA World Cup sparked intense media debate as various experts discussed its pros and cons. The new VAR system involved a team of match officials who remotely reviewed live footage of the match in order to assist the on-field referee. This team was instructed to advise the match referee when a decision (or non-decision) related to red cards, penalties, goals or mistaken identity was worth reviewing.
One worry was that, should a referee change their ruling after a VAR review, their authority could be diminished.1 Ex-Premier Soccer League referee, Errol Sweeney, articulated a related concern in City Press: “Referees, because they are being castigated in the electronic and print media for making a mistake, will hesitate before making a decision” in case they get it wrong.2
Another criticism was that using video technology “could undermine intuitive decision-making”.3 This is because “referees must largely rely on fast and intuitive decision-making that is a product of extensive practice and experience”, whereas relying on the VAR system means ruling will become more deliberate and analytical.4
Complaints were also made about the length of time taken to reach decisions, which was said to result in a loss of fluency in the game.5
However, the new video technology was also widely praised. Despite the worry he raised, Sweeney highlighted the importance of reaching the right decision, as well as the transparency of the system – “that justice is not only done, but also seen to be done”.6
Another former South African official, Jerome Damon, indicated that the VAR system was “designed to limit the clear and obvious howlers … not to eliminate all the errors”.7 Backing up this sentiment, FIFA announced after the group stage of the tournament that fewer than 1% of VAR-assisted decisions were incorrect, much lower than the 5% error rate referees usually have.8 Nigerian football star, Jay-Jay Okocha, said in an interview with The Citizen that the advantages outweighed the disadvantages.9
Overall, the introduction of video technology to assist referees generated mixed sentiment. The uncompromising nature of the debate was on show when a heated argument erupted after the World Cup Final on SuperSport between Okocha and former Irish midfielder Andy Townsend.
African? African’t!
The poor performance by African nations at the 2018 FIFA World Cup was widely discussed in South African media. For the first time since 1982, no African team made it to the knockout stages of the event. Since there was much hope for an African triumph this time around, the collective failure represents a missed opportunity, mourned by all.
Reasons offered by various analysts for the subpar African performance ranged from weaker domestic leagues10 to being given fewer spots than other regions11 – Africa, with 54 competing countries, was only allocated five spots at the tournament. Other potential culprits fingered were VAR and simple bad luck – Japan controversially progressed to the next round at the expense of Senegal due to the ‘fair play’ tie-breaker, which rewarded teams’ disciplinary records.
Wycliffe Simiyu, whose essay in The Conversation was reprinted in numerous print publications, suggested that African teams had to take their early exits on the chin, as they were “outmatched technically and tactically”,12 a sentiment echoed by S’busiso Mseleku in City Press.13
Senegal’s homegrown coach, Aliou Cissé, called for a greater number of African coaches,14 while Ivorian football legends Didier Drogba15 and Yaya Toure16 both suggested that African football associations reconsider their organisational structures and strategies, instead of blaming individuals.
Starting with the World Cup’s expansion in 2026, the continent’s contingent is set to increase from five to nine teams. Many punters have expressed hope that greater representation will reap greater rewards.
Are there any positives to take from Africa’s unsuccessful Russian expedition? Egyptian goalkeeper, Essam El-Hadary, made history by becoming the oldest World Cup player of all time when he took the field against Saudi Arabia aged 45 years and 161 days. At the age of 19 and 236 days, Moussa Wague became Africa’s youngest scorer at a World Cup when he netted against Japan. And, though bittersweet, perhaps the continent’s greatest cause for celebration came in the form of the winning French team, which contained no fewer than 14 players with African roots.
Conclusion
The 2018 FIFA World Cup was widely regarded as being highly successful. By reviewing the South African media content produced throughout the duration of the World Cup, Focal Points identified and analysed two of the biggest media topics: the use of video technology in football and the performances of African sides. While the former received a mixture of both positive and negative coverage, the latter was clearly coloured by negative sentiment.