FIFA Referee Innovations Win Praise at Club World Cup: Collina

Former Italian referee Pierluigi Collina praised the innovations introduced at the Club World Cup, including referee body cameras, an eight-second rule for goalkeepers, and advanced semi-automated offside technology. The new rule for goalkeepers was deemed successful in improving the tempo of the match, while the referee body cameras provided valuable perspectives for TV audiences and referee training. The semi-automated offside technology was also successful in its first FIFA event, the Club World Cup.

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025, held in New Jersey, saw the introduction of several innovative refereeing technologies and rules that have been hailed as a success by Pierluigi Collina, the Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee [1]. The tournament, which featured an expanded 32-team format, was the first FIFA event to use body cameras on referees.

The body cameras provided unique perspectives for both television audiences and referee training. Collina noted that the innovation exceeded expectations, receiving positive feedback from viewers. The cameras were particularly valuable in explaining incidents that referees missed due to their line of vision being blocked. For instance, in a match between Atlético de Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, a referee missed a handball incident due to a player blocking his view. The body cam footage clearly showed the referee's inability to see the incident live on the pitch [1].

Another significant innovation was the introduction of an eight-second rule for goalkeepers. Previously, only an indirect free kick was awarded after six seconds of holding the ball. Under the new rule, a corner kick is awarded to the attacking team if a goalkeeper holds the ball for longer than eight seconds. Collina reported that the new rule was successful in improving the tempo of the match and preventing time-wasting by goalkeepers. Only two goalkeepers were penalized under the new rule, indicating that the rule was respected [1].

The tournament also saw the implementation of an advanced version of semi-automated offside technology. This technology helped speed up decisions for offside situations and prevented unnecessary play. Collina reported that the technology worked well, with correct decisions being made and goals disallowed where appropriate [1].

Overall, the innovations introduced at the Club World Cup 2025 have been deemed successful in improving the quality of refereeing and enhancing the viewing experience for fans. The tournament was well-refereed by match officials, and the innovations are likely to be adopted in future FIFA events.

References:
[1] https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/referee-innovations-club-world-cup-win-praise-collina-says-2025-07-11/
[2] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/fifa-club-world-cup-2025-joo-pedro-scores-twice-against-his-former-team-as-chelsea-beat-fluminense-2-0-to-enter-final/articleshow/122328807.cms
[3] https://inside.fifa.com/news/pierluigi-collina-interview-ref-cam-club-world-cup-2025