FIFA is moving in that direction the biggest technological leap in the history of arbitration for the 2026 World Cup, based on the successful tests carried out at the Club World Cup in the United States, where a combined system of body cameras for referees and simplified algorithms was implemented to speed up VAR decisions.
Johannes Holzmüller, FIFA’s innovation director, confirmed that the body camera was calling “The referee with you” It demonstrated remarkable effectiveness in transmitting the referee’s vision in real time to both television and stadium screens, achieving transparency and referee training in complex situations and reducing subsequent speculation.
At the same time, improvements to the semi-automatic offside function were tested by sending audible warnings directly to the line assistants to avoid delays and return to the game the natural rhythm that is often lost in long reviews, without changing the essence of football but rather restoring its traditional flow.
On his part Pierluigi CollinaFIFA Refereeing Director, He stressed that this technology is not aimed at creating a new football, but rather aims to balance precision and tradition and support referees, coaches, doctors and spectators without changing the spirit of the game.
In addition, he emphasized the importance of the recent regulation that limits the goalkeeper’s holding time to eight seconds and requires referee intervention to avoid loss of time after it was found that several goalkeepers were able to hold the ball for up to twenty-five seconds.
Collina put it bluntly: the level of technological support that the referee will have in 2026 is incomparable to any previous era.
The cornerstones of the considerations for the next World Cup will be:
1. Body camera: absolute transparency and accessible visual evidence
2. Improved semi-automatic offside– Instant notifications and elimination of delays
3. Simplified VAR + new algorithms: Fast data validation and less human intervention
4. Stricter timing: Fluidity and continuity.
That means what’s coming isn’t a simple tool change. This is a conceptual leap: from “reactive” arbitration to “preventive, didactic and transparent” arbitration.
At the 2026 World Cup, the fan will see what the referee sees, the assistant will immediately act attentively and the game will regain speed and coherence.
It will undoubtedly be the biggest technological change in the recent history of arbitration.
In summary, the combination of a body camera, advanced offside algorithms, instant signals to the assistants and strict control of timekeeping represents a technological revolution that does not replace the referee, but rather develops him by enabling faster, clearer and more pedagogical decisions, thus representing the most significant technological change in recent World Cups.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) will deploy the following starting from the 2026 season: semi-automatic offside technology (SAOT) in the First Division championship, the Brasileirao. It will be the first league in South America to use this tool, which combines high-precision cameras, on-ball sensors and artificial intelligence to instantly recognize advanced positions.
With this decision, Brazil joins the elite of world football and seeks to adapt to the technological standards already implemented in competitions such as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Champions League, the Premier League, La Liga and the Italian Serie A The system reduced errors and accelerated referee decisions.
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