Referees will wear eye-level cameras at the Club World Cup (Image: The Associated Press)
Referees at the Club World Cup are set to wear eye-level cameras, offering fans a unique glimpse into the on-pitch action. Well... not quite. FIFA has unveiled plans to roll out this tech at the expanded tournament starting in Miami on Saturday. However, it seems the move is geared more towards spicing up TV broadcasts than enhancing the game itself.
For example, only "non-controversial" footage will be aired during matches. FIFA hasn't clarified what falls under this category, but don't expect to see goal celebrations or potential sending offs. The camera will be fixed onto the referee's headset.
"It is a trial," Pierluigi Collina, the head of FIFA's referees committee said Wednesday. "What will be the future? We will see. We have said that we want to, let's say, offer a new experience to TV viewers. We want to show something, let's say, entertaining. I don't think that we always need to think of the controversial or potentially controversial incidents on the field of play."
Before hitting the screens, footage will undergo a review rather than being broadcast instantaneously. FIFA has stated that the refcam view could be utilised to display unique angles of goals scored and provide different perspectives of the game that conventional cameras cannot capture.
However, if limited to this purpose, it would seem to be a wasted opportunity in a sport that is increasingly leveraging technological advancements to enhance the accuracy and transparency of decision-making.
The Club World Cup, a month-long tournament held in the United States and featuring 32 of the world's top soccer teams, is also introducing another innovation - showing VAR-reviewed footage on big screens inside the stadium for the first time. In theory, the refcam would increase referees' accountability for their decisions by allowing fans to see exactly what the official saw before making a call.
Pierluigi Collina is the chairman of the FIFA referees committee (Image: The Associated Press)
However, it remains unclear how extensively it would be used to aid VAR. While Collina stated that all footage would be available to VAR, he questioned the usefulness of the refcam in such situations.
"Honestly, can you believe that a camera position just besides the referee's eyes can see something that the referee's eyes cannot see? Honestly, I think it's difficult to believe," he said.
FIFA has made it clear where it believes the footage would be most valuable, stating that the test was designed to "explore whether the new camera angle can improve the experience for those watching on television and online by showcasing the referee's perspective."
It added that the tests would be used to establish guidelines for future use. "Step by step" Collina said. "We need to do something new and the simpler the better."
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FIFA has unveiled plans to crack down on time-wasting goalkeepers at the Club World Cup. Under existing rules, goalkeepers are not allowed to hold the ball for more than six seconds, but according to Collina, this rule is often disregarded.
The time limit has now been increased to eight seconds, with referees set to enforce it more rigorously.
To help keep track, referees will use a hand signal to count down the final five seconds. If a goalkeeper fails to release the ball within the eight-second limit, the opposing team will be awarded a corner kick, replacing the previous punishment of an indirect free kick.
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