“Will we show these pictures? Maybe”
Bodycams? Schiri boss makes curious announcement
06/12/2025 – 07:21 a.m.Reading time: 1 min.
The head of the FIFA referee commission makes an announcement to a technical innovation in the clothing of the referees-but different than expected.
At the club World Cup in the United States, the referees carry bodycams, but the recordings are not used in the evaluation of disputed scenes by the video evidence (VAR). This was announced by the FIFA World Federation Association on Wednesday. The aim of the innovation is “to offer television viewers a new experience,” said Pierluigi Collina as chairman of the FIFA referee commission.
As part of a test run, the referees at the mega event (June 14 to July 13) are equipped with cameras that are attached to the earphones of their headsets. The “Refcams” shows videos from their perspective, for example in the coin talent before the side choice or goal scenes.
Collina indicated that Refcam recordings could also be used by the VAR at a later date. “Let’s go step by step. This is an attempt at the moment. We have to try something new, and the easier, the better,” emphasized the Italian: “Will we show these pictures in the future? Maybe not.” Tests with the BodyCam had approved the rule keepers of the International Football Association Boards (IFAB) in early March.
The recordings that the referees look at on a monitor after VAR intervention on the edge of the field are shown to the fans at the club World Cup in the stadiums on large screens. Germany is represented at the tournament with 32 teams by record champions Bayern Munich and Champions League finalist Borussia Dortmund.