Astana hosts Hawk-Eye system presentation

15 April 2026, 16:31

A presentation of the new Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system by Hawk-Eye was held for media representatives at the office of the Kazakhstan Football Federation in Astana.

The KFF was represented at the event by Acting General Secretary Alexander Keplin, Director of the Refereeing and Inspection Department Nuno Alexandre Parreira de Castro, VAR coordinator and instructor Leonid Kaloshin, and VAR project manager Nikita Utrobin.

The programme began with a presentation by Nuno Castro, who explained the principles and criteria of refereeing in accordance with the Laws of the Game. Afterthat, Leonid Kaloshin presented the protocols for interaction within the VAR refereeing team.

“The contract between the Kazakhstan Football Federation and the VAR technology provider Hawk-Eye is signed until the end of the 2029 football season. The Hawk-Eye system is used at the world’s biggest football tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro, and the UEFA Champions League. Now, alongside top football leagues, Kazakhstan is also implementing advanced technologies to increase accuracy and transparency in refereeing decisions,” said Nuno Castro.

A separate section was devoted to the technical aspects. Nikita Utrobin gave a detailed overview of the Hawk-Eye system, its differences from the previous solution used in Premier League matches, and the factors affecting VAR performance quality.

Following the official part, participants had the opportunity to experience the system in practice — guests tested the VAR simulator and explored the features of the new equipment.