FIFA continues to move forward on the topic of sound reinforcement for referees. During a videoconference on Wednesday evening, FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina confirmed that referees at the 2023 Women’s World Cup (July 20 to August 20 in Australia and New Zealand) will be able to address the public in certain specific cases.
They will have the opportunity to explain VAR decisions to the public, a process that FIFA has already tried during the Club World Cup in February and the U20 World Cup last month. Collina clarified that the speeches will be very brief, while all the referees do not have the same level of English. “The explanation is a plus, the icing on the cake, even if the most important thing is to make the right decision,” slipped the former Italian referee.
A calculation of additional time similar to the Men’s World Cup
Collina also confirmed that added time counting will be similar to what was done at the 2022 Men’s World Cup in Qatar, where the average added time per game was 11 minutes. Instructions have also been given to the referees to encourage the players to reduce the loss of time during free kicks, penalties, touches or corners. As in Qatar, FIFA’s objective is to increase effective playing time, to improve the spectacle.