Plans are taking shape as FIFA prepares to revolutionise how football is officiated at the sport’s biggest tournament. On the eve of the World Cup draw, senior FIFA officials revealed that the governing body is weighing the introduction of new refereeing technologies and stricter timekeeping rules for 2026, building on innovations successfully trialled at this year’s Club World Cup in the United States.
The “Referee with You” system explained
At the heart of the FIFA referee body cams initiative is the “Referee with You” system, a referee body camera that feeds live images directly to television broadcasts and stadium giant screens. Johannes Holzmueller, FIFA’s director of innovation, explained the vision behind this game-changing technology.
“We very successfully trialled the referee body camera at the FIFA Club World Cup that happened this year in the U.S.,” Holzmueller said. “The system feeds images into the live television feed and on to stadium giant screens to show spectators what the referee saw in that special moment.”
The system offers unprecedented transparency, allowing fans and viewers to see exactly what officials are seeing during critical moments in matches. This revolutionary approach aims to build trust in refereeing decisions and enhance the viewing experience globally.
However, Holzmueller cautioned that regulatory approval is still required before the FIFA referee body cams system can be deployed at the tournament. “That’s definitely something we want to bring forward,” he said. “But of course, so far it was a trial. We need to get the approvals so we can bring that to the World Cup as well.” Any rule changes will require approval from the International Football Association Board (IFAB) at its meeting in Wales in February.
Faster offside decisions
Beyond the body camera system, the FIFA referee body cams 2026 plans include an advanced version of semi-automated offside technology designed to eliminate delays. During the Club World Cup trials, FIFA quietly advanced this system by sending certain offside alerts directly to assistant referees rather than only to the video assistant referee (VAR).
“For positional offside, the information was via an audio alert directly sent to the assistant referee, and they could raise the flag,” Holzmueller explained. “So, we had not really any longer delay for positional offside.“
This refinement is crucial as it restores the traditional flow of the game while maintaining accuracy. Rather than waiting for VAR to review and communicate decisions, assistant referees can now act immediately on offside alerts, speeding up play and reducing frustration among players, coaches, and fans.
The initiative also encompasses stricter timekeeping rules for goalkeepers. Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, revealed that changes announced by IFAB last March were designed to accelerate play after FIFA discovered some keepers were taking up to 25 seconds to release the ball.
“We gave goalkeepers two seconds more, bringing the total to eight seconds,” Collina said. “But they have to be 100% sure that once the eight seconds are finished, the referee will intervene.”
This adjustment, part of the broader FIFA modernisation effort, aims to maintain the game’s rhythm and prevent unnecessary delays caused by time-wasting tactics.
Collina reflected on how dramatically the officiating environment has changed, comparing today’s support systems with his own experiences as a World Cup referee. “The level of support and accuracy now available to match officials is night and day,” he said. This represents the next evolution in this journey, building on decades of technological advancement while remaining true to football’s core values.
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