July 18, (THEWILL) – FIFA’s referee chief, Pierluigi Collina, announced on Tuesday that match officials at the Women’s World Cup will explain VAR decisions live to both stadium spectators and television audiences.
Collina believes this approach will enhance transparency and understanding of the referee’s decisions. The concept was successfully trialled at the men’s Club World Cup in Morocco earlier this year and the men’s Under-20 World Cup in Argentina last month, receiving positive feedback from those involved. The use of this new tool at the Women’s World Cup is seen as a step towards addressing fans’ long-standing demand for greater transparency in VAR decisions.
During the tournament in New Zealand and Australia, match officials will consult a pitch-side screen and then relay their decision, along with the rationale behind it, the players involved, and a brief description of the incident through the PA system.
However, Collina acknowledged that there is some apprehension among referees, as they will need to explain decisions in English, which may not be their native language. Nevertheless, he said: “In anything there are pros and cons. After we will discuss and consider what is best for the future.”
In addition to the focus on transparency, referees have also been instructed to crack down on time-wasting at the Women’s World Cup. This tournament marks a significant milestone as it becomes the first major competition to implement live explanations of VAR decisions, paving the way for potential changes and improvements.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
