FIFA has announced that referees will wear bodycams during this summer’s Club World Cup in the United States, marking a significant step in integrating technology into football officiating.
The footage captured will be made available to broadcasters, offering fans a unique perspective on the game.
Pierluigi Collina, chairman of FIFA’s referees committee, highlighted the innovation: “It is a good chance to offer viewers a new experience, with images from an angle of vision never offered before.”
The use of bodycams in football is not entirely new. Jarred Gillett became the first referee to wear one during a Premier League match in May 2024, while trials in English grassroots football have shown a reduction in abuse towards officials.
Bodycams have also been utilized in Major League Soccer and the Bundesliga, where they debuted in February 2024.
The Club World Cup, featuring 32 teams including Premier League sides Chelsea and Manchester City, will run from June 15 to July 13.
