FIFA to Double Number of Match Referees

The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) decided to increase the number of match referees from two to four in order to help referees make correct calls about penalties and goals at its first Strategic Committee Conference held in Zurich, Switzerland yesterday.

FIFA will implement this new rule starting in the Club World Cup to be held this December. The roles and positions of the additional referees will be determined at a later time.

The soccer ball, called a “smart ball” that has a computer chip inside, will be tested once again at the Club World Cup to judge whether the ball crosses a goal line. When the ball crosses a goal line, referees will receive a signal.

This ball was first used in 2005 for the U-17 World Cup; however, it was not used in the Germany World Cup due to its technical insufficiency at the time.

The FIFA Strategic Committee was created to discuss schedules of international matches, relationships between the organization and clubs, players’ insurance policies, club licenses, and other sensitive issues. It is chaired by Michel Platini, the head of UEFA (European Football Associations), who has been arguing for the referee increase. Gwak Jeong-hwan, the head of the Korean Professional Football Association, is one of its commissioners.

kimsk@donga.com