Innovations in Officiating for the FIFA Club World Cup
The FIFA Club World Cup, set to unfold in the United States starting Saturday with a match between Egyptian club Al Ahly and American team Inter Miami, is poised to implement significant changes in officiating, as announced by FIFA. Among the most noteworthy modifications is the introduction of body-mounted cameras for referees, which aim to enhance the viewing experience by showcasing footage from the matches, primarily focusing on non-controversial moments.
According to FIFA officials, referees will don a small camera that protrudes from their earpiece. This device is designed to capture images as seen from the officials’ perspectives. However, while broadcast teams will benefit from unique angles for goals, saves, and the pre-match atmosphere, viewers will not have access to contentious decision-making instances, including penalty calls or other critical moments, through this new camera system.
Pierluigi Collina, the head of FIFA’s refereeing committee and a renowned former referee, emphasized that the goal behind these innovations is to provide a fresh and engaging viewing experience. He noted that the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which governs the rules of the game, has permitted this experimental technology. While ruling out the inclusion of controversial footage for the time being, Collina hinted that such features might become available in the future as the initiative evolves. “We aim to implement things gradually. Right now, this is an experiment. We need to innovate, and simplicity is key. Therefore, we have established some protocols. Will we show those controversial images in the future? Perhaps we will,” he conveyed.
The live footage from the cameras will be transmitted via a dedicated 5G network directly from the referee to the broadcasting crew. Johannes Holzmuller, FIFA’s innovation director, indicated that this live feed will only be accessible in the six American football stadiums selected for the tournament. Spectators attending the Club World Cup will view video assistant referee (VAR) reviews exactly as referees observe them on external screens, which will then be displayed on large screens within the stadium.
Once a decision is made, the referee will communicate the final ruling to the crowd using both an announcement system and the television broadcast. Furthermore, the tournament will also implement an advanced semi-automatic offside technology that utilizes 16 cameras integrated with artificial intelligence to alert the assistant referee when a player touches the ball while in an offside position. This system is expected to facilitate quicker offside flagging, thereby reducing instances of prolonged play after a clear offside until VAR can intervene.
In addition to these technological advancements, the tournament will pioneer a new law allowing goalkeepers up to eight seconds to release the ball after catching it; otherwise, they risk conceding a corner kick. This law replaces the previous six-second timeframe that would result in an indirect free kick for any violation. Moreover, referees will be mandated to start a five-second countdown visibly using their fingers if the goalkeeper does not comply.
With these various measures, the FIFA Club World Cup aspires not only to enhance the quality and efficiency of officiating but also to enrich the overall spectator experience during this highly anticipated tournament. As football evolves, so too does the approach to officiating, and this tournament stands as a testament to FIFA’s commitment to innovation and improvement in the beautiful game.
