FIFA launches ‘Ref Cam’ for Club World Cup — but won’t broadcast controversial decisions

MIAMI, June 12 — Referees at this month’s FIFA Club World Cup will wear body cameras, but the footage shown during broadcasts will be limited to non-controversial moments, FIFA refereeing officials announced yesterday.

Each match official will have a small camera attached to their earpiece, offering a first-person view of the game. This new perspective will give broadcasters access to unique angles of goals, saves, and close-up live footage from events like the pre-match coin toss. However, footage of penalty decisions or other contentious incidents will not be shared.

“The goal is to give TV viewers a fresh experience,” said Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee.

Collina noted that the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body responsible for the rules of the game, has approved the trial. He hinted that footage of controversial incidents may be considered in future phases.

“Let’s take it one step at a time. Right now, this is a trial. We’re starting with something simple and clear, under a specific protocol. Will we eventually show controversial moments? Maybe, maybe not — we’ll see once we’re ready,” he said.

According to FIFA’s Director of Innovation, Johannes Holzmüller, the live footage will be transmitted via a private 5G network to the production team, and this capability will only be available in the six NFL stadiums hosting the tournament.

Fans will also be able to view VAR reviews on stadium screens from the same angle seen by referees at the pitchside monitor. This will be followed by the referee publicly announcing the decision through the stadium sound system and the broadcast.

Additionally, the tournament will debut enhanced semi-automatic offside technology, utilizing 16 AI-linked cameras and algorithms. The system will notify the assistant referee with an audio signal the moment an offside player touches the ball, enabling quicker and earlier flagging of offsides.

Another new feature is a rule update for goalkeepers: they will now have eight seconds — instead of six — to release the ball after gaining control. Failure to do so will result in a corner kick instead of an indirect free kick. Referees will also give a visible five-second countdown using their fingers. — AFPReferees at this month’s FIFA Club World Cup will wear body cameras, with the footage potentially included in game broadcasts — but only for non-controversial moments, according to FIFA. — Reuters pic