Referees participating in this month’s FIFA Club World Cup will don ‘body cams’, with footage being incorporated into game broadcasts — but only for non-controversial incidents, FIFA officiating officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The match officials will be equipped with a compact camera that extends from their earpiece, offering a unique perspective from the referee’s viewpoint.
Although broadcasters will have the opportunity to provide fresh angles on goals, saves, and even close-up live footage with audio from the pre-match coin toss, viewers won’t witness penalty decisions or other contentious moments from this new camera setup.
“Our goal is to provide TV audiences with an innovative experience,” stated Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee.
Collina noted that the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which governs the laws of the game, has approved a trial run of the technology and hinted that footage of contentious moments might be included in future phases.
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“Let’s take it step by step. At this stage… this is a trial. We aim to implement something new, and keeping it simple is key. We have established certain rules within a protocol. Will we offer these images in the future? Perhaps when we’ve mastered it, or perhaps not, but it’s a possibility,” he elaborated.
The live footage will be transmitted via a private 5G network from the referee directly to the match production team, as explained by FIFA’s Director of Innovation, Johannes Holzmuller, who added that this live feature will only be available in the six NFL stadiums selected for the tournament.
Fans of the Club World Cup will be able to view VAR reviews as seen by referees at the pitchside monitor, which will also be shown on large screens within the stadium.
This video footage will be followed by the referee announcing the final decision through the public address system and during the television broadcast.
The tournament will introduce ‘enhanced semi-automatic offside’ technology, utilising 16 cameras linked to AI and algorithms that notify the assistant referee when an offside player touches the ball.
This system is expected to result in earlier flag raises for offside and minimise instances where play continues after a clear offside until retroactive VAR review.
Additionally, the tournament will provide an early implementation of a new rule stating that goalkeepers have eight seconds to release the ball after picking it up, or risk conceding a corner.
This updated law replaces the previous regulation which allowed six seconds for goalkeepers to release the ball, failing which an indirect free-kick was given.
The referee will indicate a five-second warning to goalkeepers, counting down with the fingers of one hand.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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