FIFA to Trial Referee Body Cams and Tighter Goalkeeper Time Rules at Club World Cup 2025

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In a move aimed at enhancing transparency and curbing time-wasting, FIFA announced on Tuesday that referees officiating at the upcoming 2025 Club World Cup in the United States will wear body cameras and enforce stricter rules on goalkeeper conduct.

The tournament, set to kick off on June 14 and conclude on July 13, will serve as the testing ground for these innovations. The use of body cams by match officials has been approved on a trial basis by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), football's governing body for the rules of the game.

According to Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, the goal is two-fold: provide fans with a fresh viewing angle and give coaches and officials a valuable tool for analysis. "It's an opportunity to give viewers a perspective they've never had before," Collina said. "It's also very useful from a technical standpoint, especially during post-match evaluations to understand what the referee saw in real-time."

The integration of this new visual tool is expected to revolutionize broadcast coverage while supporting referee development and decision-making review.

Alongside the technological innovation, FIFA is introducing a new enforcement to deter time-wasting by goalkeepers. In a change from the seldom-applied six-second rule, goalkeepers will now face more immediate consequences for delaying the game. If a keeper holds onto the ball for more than eight seconds, the opposing team will be awarded a corner kick - a harsher and more noticeable penalty than the currently designated indirect free-kick.

The change is designed to maintain match flow and reduce intentional stalling tactics, particularly in tight or high-stakes matches.

With 32 teams set to participate, the 2025 Club World Cup promises to be a landmark tournament - not just for its scale but for pioneering reforms that could shape the future of football officiating. The tournament for the the first time will be staged like the FIFA World Cup of the international teams.