David GOMBE
Following the International Football Association Board’s approval, referees will wear body cameras at the 2025 Club World Cup due in the USA.
The footage will be used by FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Exclusive Global Broadcaster DAZN as part of live match broadcasts during the tournament.
One of the main goals of this test is to explore whether the new camera angle can improve the experience for those watching on television and online by showcasing the referee’s perspective.
Furthermore, FIFA will use the findings from the tournament to create guidelines for the use of such cameras in football.
Pierluigi Collina, the chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, said the innovations express FIFA’s commitment towards using technology
“I’m sure that, for all 117 match officials selected for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, being among those who are participating in the competition the first time ever is something very exciting, because they will be part of football history. These innovations demonstrate FIFA’s commitment to using technology and improving the overall football experience, with a particular emphasis on enhancing the transparency and understanding of refereeing decisions.”
Meanwhile, fans at the stadiums will now also benefit from seeing exactly what the referee views on the monitor in the referee review area during on-field reviews.
According to FIFA, the footage will be displayed live on the giant screens, which will make it easier for fans to understand the decision-making process and enhance transparency.
An advanced version of semi-automated offside technology will be in place at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, with the aim of making the decision-making process for offside situations as fast as possible.
Utilising multiple cameras, a sensor inside the ball and artificial intelligence, the system tracks players’ positions and the ball, providing automated, real-time alerts to match officials in the event of clear offsides. However, for challenging offside scenarios, the video assistant referee will still validate the information provided by the system before the decision is taken.
FIFA has also confirmed that for the first time at a major tournament, it will use algorithms developed by Football Technology Centre AG, its joint venture with Hawk-Eye Innovations Ltd, to automatically collect the majority of live event data based on the available tracking data.
The expanded showpiece will kickoff on June 15th to July 13th with English Premier league champions Manchester City the current holders.
