This summer’s Club World Cup will feature bodycams worn by referees. Broadcasters will have access to footage from the 32-team competition in the United States.
According to Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA referees committee, “It is a good chance to offer the viewers a new experience, in terms of images taken from a perspective, from an angle of vision which was never offered before.”
Jarred Gillett became the first Premier League referee to use a bodycam during a game in May 2024, when Crystal Palace defeated Manchester United 4-0.
It was approved to record footage for a “one-off” presentation promoting match officials.
Referee bodycams were first tested in English grassroots football last season, with trials expanding in 2024-25 after results revealed a decrease in abuse directed at officials.
A referee wore a bodycam for the first time during a Bundesliga match in February 2024, and one was used again in November during the 1-1 draw between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. Body cameras have been employed in Major League Soccer in recent years.
