Referees at the upcoming 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will wear body cameras for the first time in a major FIFA tournament, offering fans a view of match officiating, but only for non-controversial moments.
The innovation was confirmed by FIFA refereeing officials on Wednesday, with the technology aimed at enhancing the viewer experience.
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The referees will wear small cameras mounted on their earpieces, capturing video from their point of view. However, the footage will not be shown during contentious or game-altering incidents, such as penalty decisions or red cards.
“The objective is to offer TV viewers a new experience,” said Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee.
“This is a trial, and the simpler, the better. We fixed some rules within a protocol. In the future, will we show controversial footage? Maybe when we learn to run. Maybe not.”
The live footage, transmitted through a secure private 5G network, will only be available at the six NFL stadiums hosting the tournament in the United States.
It will allow broadcasters to provide viewers with unique perspectives on goals, saves, and pre-match moments like the coin toss, including both video and live audio.
FIFA’s Director of Innovation, Johannes Holzmüller, confirmed that while the live broadcast element is limited to selected venues, the trial is a step toward greater transparency and immersive fan engagement.
Fans in stadiums and watching on television will also benefit from other innovations.
For the first time, VAR reviews viewed by referees on the pitchside monitor will be shown on giant stadium screens, followed by the referee announcing the final decision via the public address system and on broadcast feeds.
