Referee Body Cameras, a new eight-second rule for keepers, and advanced semi-automated offside technology introduced in the club World Cup are praised as a success, said Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA referee committee.
The tournament, which marked the inaugural edition of the extensive competition of 32 teams, was the first FIFA event that used body cameras about referees.
Collina said that innovation offered expectations and unique perspectives for both television audience and referee training.
«The outcome of using the ref cam here at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 went beyond our expectations,» Collina told the FIFAs Mediacase channel on Thursday.
«We thought it would have been an interesting experience for TV viewers and we have received great comments.»
Collina said that the images were valuable, not only for entertainment, but also for the development of the referee.
«We had the opportunity to see what the referee sees on the playing field,» he said.
«This was not only for entertainment purposes, but also for coaching the referees and to explain why something was not seen at the game of the game.»
He mentioned a group stage match between Atletico de Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, in which a referee missed a handball because his vision line was blocked.
«It was absolutely clear of this ref cam that the referee could not have seen that incident on the field live,» Collina said.
The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) later intervened to grant a fine.
The tournament also saw the implementation of a rule that grants a corner when a goalkeeper holds the ball for more than eight seconds. Earlier, only an indirect free kick was awarded after six seconds.
«It was very successful; the pace of the competition had improved,» said Collina.
«We had not lost time by keepers who kept the ball between their hands for a very long time – as happened earlier in competitions,» he added, and noted that only two keepers were punished under the new rule.
«The goal was not to give corner kicks, but to prevent the rule of eight seconds from being ignored. The goal was reached 100 percent,» he said.
An advanced version of the semi-automated offside technology was also used, accelerating decisions and preventing unnecessary play.
A total of 117 competition officials – 35 referees, 58 assistant referees and 24 video competition officials – of 41 member associations supervised the 63 games played during the tournament.
Paris Saint-Germain will face Chelsea on Sunday in the final of the tournament in New Jersey.
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