FIFA to Trial Referee Body Cameras and New Time-Wasting Rule at Club World Cup
FIFA has announced that referees at this year’s Club World Cup will wear body cameras as part of a new trial. The aim is to give fans and coaches a better view of what the referee sees during the game.
The cameras were recently approved by IFAB, football’s rule-making body. FIFA referees committee chairman Pierluigi Collina said the move will offer a “new experience” for viewers and be useful for training and reviewing referee decisions.
“It’s a good chance to show football from a new angle,” Collina said. “It helps broadcasters and coaches to understand how referees see and make decisions during a match.”
FIFA is also introducing a new rule to stop goalkeepers from wasting time. In the trial, if a goalkeeper holds the ball for more than eight seconds, the other team will be given a corner kick.
Right now, goalkeepers are only supposed to hold the ball for six seconds, and if they go over, it should be punished with an indirect free-kick — but that rule is rarely enforced.
The 32-team Club World Cup will be held in the United States from 14 June to 13 July.
