Riedel Communications has announced that Argentina’s Asociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA) has renewed and expanded its centralised video assistant referee (VAR) system for another five years. Operated by Torneos and powered by Riedel’s SimplyLive technology, the system debuted in 2021 as Latin America’s first centralised VAR deployment and continues to set the standard for efficiency and scalability across one of the world’s top football federations.
Located at AFA’s replay centre near Buenos Aires, the system features five video operation rooms (VORs) and eight OB vans, enabling up to five simultaneous matches and supporting 12-14 games per weekend – around 400+ matches annually. This centralised approach reduces travel costs, improves working conditions for referees, and ensures consistent, high-quality officiating across Argentina’s vast geography.
“Riedel’s SimplyLive solution gives us flexibility, redundancy, and ease of use,” said Ramiro Prado, director of technology at Torneos. “Our referees appreciate the intuitive touch-screen interface, and the system’s ability to handle high-tier games with supermo cameras and additional feeds ensures we’re ready for any challenge.”
The system includes 15 SimplyLive 16-channel HD servers, configured for redundancy and scalability, with two additional servers added during the renewal to support larger matches that scale to more than 32 ingest channels for standard and high-frame-rate cameras. It also incorporates SimplyLive RefBox and replay capabilities for broadcast workflows. Each VOR and server room is fully redundant, ensuring uninterrupted operation during peak demand. The solution supports NDI and SRT delivery methods for seamless integration with production workflows, while Riedel’s intercom technology provides clear, low-latency communication between referees, replay operators, and production teams.
The project adheres to FIFA certification requirements, which mandate rigorous testing and annual compliance checks to maintain operational standards. Referee training began with simulators, Mini8 units, before full deployment, ensuring a smooth transition and system reliability.
“This renewal by one of the world’s top football federations underscores the trust placed in our technology,” said Andrew Grant, sales manager live production, East, at Riedel Communications. “Together with SimplyLive, we’ve built a centralised VAR infrastructure that meets FIFA standards while delivering tangible benefits – from reduced travel costs and improved quality of life for referees to consistent, high-quality officiating across Argentina.
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