Andrea Colombo will make Serie A history on Saturday when he takes charge of Juventus v Inter at the Allianz Stadium wearing a referee body-cam. It will be the first time the technology is used in Italy’s top flight, adding a new, pitch-level perspective to one of football’s fiercest rivalries.
The 34-year-old, born in Como, rose through the ranks after three seasons in Serie D, earning promotion to professional Serie C in 2017–18. He handled his first Serie B fixture in 2021 and made his Serie A debut that December in Torino’s 2-2 draw with Empoli. His first major top-flight assignment came in March 2023, when Napoli beat Atalanta 2-0 at the Stadio Maradona.
Colombo became a FIFA-listed international in December 2023 and took charge of 16 Serie A matches in the 2023–24 campaign. He made his international bow at Wembley on 10 October 2024, overseeing England’s 1-2 Nations League defeat by Greece.
His progress has been recognised beyond Italy. In early 2025, he and assistants Giovanni Baccini and Davide Imperiale were selected for the Under-20 South American Championship, only the second time a UEFA refereeing team had been invited to the tournament. In March 2025, he received the Stefano Farina Award as Serie A’s best emerging referee.
While he has yet to officiate in the Champions League phase, Colombo oversaw a qualifying tie between Qarabag and Shelbourne in July and refereed last season’s UEFA Youth League final between Trabzonspor and Barcelona. To date, he has taken charge of 47 Serie A games, issuing 277 yellow cards and six straight reds.
