This summer's Club World Cup in the United States will use referee body cameras, giving spectators a distinctive and engaging perspective of the action. According to Pierluigi Collina, chairman of FIFA's Referees Committee, the innovation would give broadcasters access to film taken straight from the referee's point of view, providing fans with real-time information on pivotal match moments such as goals, fouls, and tactical plays.
“Viewers will get a perspective that’s never been offered before,” said Collina. “It’s not just a novelty—it’s a valuable tool for referee development. Seeing exactly what the referee sees helps us analyze decisions and improve performance.”
According to FIFA, the use of cameras will be on an experimental basis, after being approved last month by IFAB, the FIFA body that decides the laws of the sport, reports OneFootball.
FIFA has stated that, in addition to the cameras, it will implement a new regulation that penalizes goalkeepers for their infamous "time-wasting" by giving the opposition a corner kick if they hold the ball for longer than eight seconds.
Referees hardly ever penalize goalkeepers for "time-wasting," even if there is already a straight free kick as punishment for this.
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"We think it's a good chance to offer spectators a new experience, in terms of images taken from a perspective, from an angle of view that has never been offered before," said Pierluigi Collina, president of the FIFA Referees Committee. "It's a combination of new experiences for broadcasters and also for training purposes," he added.
The camera system, which is attached to the headset and placed close to the ear, has already been tested in the Bundesliga in Germany and during a Premier League game in which Jarred Gillett played. Although both incidents were included in documentaries, the Club World Cup marks a change to live integration.
“This is the first time we’ll see the best clubs from every continent compete in this format,” Collina added. “We’re committed to ensuring officiating meets the highest standards to match the importance of the occasion.”
The new technology has the potential to completely change how referees are educated throughout the world as well as how fans watch games.
