Leagues around the world could be given the green light to trial referees making in-stadium announcements to explain decisions after VAR reviews before the end of the year. Broadcasting live discussions on decisions looks less likely, according to the PA news agency. Howard Webb, the referees’ chief, talked through selected audio clips from incidents in this season’s Premier League during Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football programme, as part of a drive from Professional Game Match Officials Limited for greater transparency and to “draw back the curtain” on the work of referees and VARs. An application to trial live communications from referees in this season’s Coupe de France final and the 2023-24 Ligue 1 season was refused last month by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). This is due to concerns raised by the refereeing community at international level, such as how conversations could be standardised, and the effect it may have on how referees behave.
FIFA was given the go-ahead for a 12-month trial in its competitions at the start of the year, beginning with the Club World Cup in Morocco in February and continuing with the men’s Under-20 World Cup and the Women’s World Cup this summer. This is to work out how it could operate in practice and develop common standards, as well as iron out any communication issues. If standards and guidelines are well developed by the end of the Women’s World Cup this summer, a decision to approve trials in other leagues around the world could be taken at the IFAB annual business meeting, likely to be held in December. The Premier League may not introduce this method of communication until the 2024-25 campaign at the earliest, but competitions running within a calendar year, such as Major League Soccer in the United States, could start sooner.