Cascading variables (i.e. the var() notation) aren’t defined for use with anything but property declarations, so no, they cannot be used in selectors. Judging by their name, this makes sense, since only property declarations can cascade, not selectors. From the spec:
A variable can be used in place of any part of a value in any property on an element. Variables can not be used as property names, selectors, or anything else besides property values. (Doing so usually produces invalid syntax, or else a value whose meaning has no connection to the variable.)