Club World Cup: Collina impressed by referee body cameras | OneFootball

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Club World Cup: Collina impressed by referee body cameras

Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, expressed his great satisfaction with the technological innovations implemented during the 2025 Club World Cup.

Among these innovations was the use of body cameras worn by referees—a first for a FIFA-organized competition. Speaking on FIFA's official website, Collina shared his enthusiasm:

Thanks to this technology, fans got to experience a unique perspective: the referee’s viewpoint. It also enhanced training and evaluation for the officials. During the match between Atlético Madrid and PSG, a handball in the box initially went unnoticed by the referee. However, images captured by the body camera helped clarify the situation.

New rules to energize the game

The tournament also featured the introduction of new rules. One of them concerns the amount of time goalkeepers are allowed to hold the ball. According to the amendment to Law 12.2a, adopted by the IFAB last March, a goalkeeper who keeps possession for more than eight seconds now concedes a corner kick to the opposition. Collina welcomed this move:

Another technical advancement showcased during the tournament was the deployment of semi-automated offside technology. This system allows assistant referees to be alerted more swiftly when a player is in an offside position.

In total, 117 officials from 41 countries took part in this inaugural 32-team edition: 35 central referees, 58 assistants, and 24 VAR officials. Collina did not hide his pride:

The tournament concludes this Sunday, July 13, with the final between PSG and Chelsea FC.