FIFA to Equip Referees with Body Cameras at Club World Cup

Brussels – April 16, 2025 | www.zonadeazar.com The inaugural edition of the FIFA Super Club World Cup will feature a total of 35 referees, including Ramon Abatti Abel from Santa Catarina and Wilton Pereira Sampaio from Goiás. In addition to the announced names, FIFA introduced innovations such as the use of body cameras by referees and the implementation of stricter rules for goalkeepers. The Super Club World Cup, the first with 32 teams – including Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense, and Palmeiras – will take place from June 14 to July 13 in the United States.

“We believe this is a great opportunity to offer spectators a new experience, in terms of visuals taken from a unique perspective, from an angle never before offered,” explained Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee. “It also serves a purpose for referee training, because of course, seeing what the referee sees is important in post-match review.”

This will be the first professional FIFA competition for Ramon Abatti Abel, 35, from Santa Catarina. In 2023, he officiated four matches in the U-20 World Cup in Argentina. Wilton Pereira Sampaio, 43, from Goiás, previously refereed four matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, including the quarter-final between France and England, won 2-1 by Les Bleus. He also officiated at the 2018 Club World Cup in the UAE.

The referee team for the tournament will also include 58 assistant referees, four of them Brazilian: Rafael Alves, Bruno Boschilia, Danilo Manis, and Bruno Pires. The list of video referees includes 24 professionals, none from Brazil.

“Among those selected are some with the privilege of being part of this for the first time, so I’m sure all the referees will be excited,” said Pierluigi Collina.

As for the new rules for goalkeepers, they are now prohibited from holding the ball for more than eight seconds during a throw-in. If this rule is not followed, the opposing team will be awarded a corner kick.

Edited by: @_fonta | www.zonadeazar.com