Knut Kircher is responsible for the referees in the Bundesliga. In SWR1 interview, he spoke about game delays and about the possible use of a AI in handball.
Where Kircher lives in Rottenburg, there is an interesting soccer field. Above the old quarry, a meadow leans towards the Neckar Valley, even the large football goals are somewhat wrong, the lines around the field have to be imagined. A beautiful football field, which provokes long after -night times.
Many game interruptions because the ball ends up in the dense bushes or in one of the fruit trees. Knut Kircher will definitely not stop a further training measure for his referees on the football meadow in Rottenburg-Kalkweil. For the current discussions about rules of the rule, you don’t need a bumpy football field.
The Avar adds seconds and minutes and calculates the stoppage time
When the managing director of DFB Schiri GmbH Knut Kircher comes to the SWR1 studio this Saturday (09.08.2025), his cell phone is buzzing. The second division games have just come to an end. The game between Eintracht Braunschweig and Greuther Fürth (3: 2) brought it to an added time of eleven minutes. This is new, but follows a new, transparent line that all referees have to stick to.
Clubs would have held the referees not to have a uniform regulation during supply times. “We wanted to put a stop, bring clarity in”says Kircher. Therefore, an avar is now sitting in the video Assistant Center (VAC) in Cologne. The assistant of the video referee (Video Assistant Referee) writes down every single interruption. 30 seconds for each goal, 30 for every variety slot.
Interruption and drinking breaks are also recorded and noted. The Avar adds the seconds and passes on the calculated injury time to the referee: with it “We collect the lost playing time and are now doing this more precisely”. That, Kircher makes football more predictable.
Kircher: Playing time of only 60 minutes like in handball conceivable
A listener wants to know why there are no timekeepers in football who take the actual time like in handball. You also think about this, says Kircher. “The pure playing time is currently 58:40 minutes per Bundesliga game. You could use a timekeeper, like in handball, and stop the time with every interruption and then let it play for 60 minutes instead of 90 minutes.” The goal is a net game time of 60 minutes, “These thoughts are already there”so Kircher.
Artificial intelligence could be used in handball
With some innovations, the game should become even more transparent. The pilot phase of the referee announcements in the stadium has been completed, confirmed Kircher. The announcements would also be used in the Bundesliga in the coming season. In the 2nd league, too, these announcements will exist in every game, but only from the 9th matchday. The technical requirements for this are not yet there in all stages.
In the often emotionally guided discussions about handball, German Football Bund (DFB) and German Football League (DFL) may help themselves. “At the same time, we are doing a study to actually have such things with AI, similar to how we do it with the ‘half -automatic away recognition'”said Kircher.
TV reporter Tom Bartels asks for the “Eight-second rule”
Kircher also wants the referees to act more consistently when it comes to delays in the game. TV reporter Tom Bartels in SWR1 stadium only spoke about the rumors of change around Nick Woltemade before the VfB Stuttgart test game against Bologna And then Knut Kircher asked whether you shouldn’t be stricter with the “eight-second rule”-goalkeepers are only allowed to hold the ball for eight seconds and then bring them back into play. That is none “Can rule”that must be implemented. “If referees don’t do that, we will talk to them.” The punishment for this form of the game delay: cornerball for the opposing team.
Grandstand In the “Cologne Keller” – soon in Frankfurt
In a Bundesliga game, up to ten people are deployed who lead and check a game. In addition to the referee, two assistants, a fourth official. In addition, there would be two “operator” per game in the VAC, one referee observer in the stadium and, if necessary, a referee coach.
Knut Kircher said that interest in this organization behind the game is increasing. One even thinks about giving spectators the opportunity to pursue a football game in the Video Assistant Center. And to meet all the requirements, the VAC will soon move to the DFB campus in Frankfurt.
Interest at Referees rises
Kircher is pleased that there is an increase among young referees: “The current development is with an increase of four to five percent”. Fabienne Michel (3rd league) and Davina Lutz also have two great talents. Kircher is convinced that “the two will take the next step into the 2nd league”. Nevertheless, he was disappointed that there was no German referee at the European Football Championship – not yet.
To person:
Knut Kircher (56) is the managing director of Sport and Communication at DFB Schiri GmbH, a subsidiary of DFB GmbH & Co. KG and DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH. Kircher, who lives in Rottenburg in Württemberg, led 244 Bundesliga games as referees and 128 games of the 2nd league. Between 2004 and 2012 he was a FIFA referee. In 2011 and 2012 he was a referee of the year in Germany.
Prize on Saturday, 9.8.2025 2:00 p.m., stadium, SWR1
