Referee body-cameras could feature at 2026 World Cup after green light from IFAB
The cameras were used at the Club World Cup in the United States, which finished earlier this month, and the directors of the International Football Association Board, which sets football's laws, have given their approval for other competitions around the world to follow suit.
The aim of the cameras trial was to see whether it would enrich the viewing experience by providing footage from the referee's perspective.
Pierluigi Collina, the chairman of FIFA's referees committee, hailed the success of the cameras and said the trial had gone "beyond expectations".
It therefore seems extremely likely world football's governing body will want to use the cameras in its showpiece national-team tournament next summer.
"We thought it would have been an interesting experience for TV viewers and we've received great comments," Collina told fifa.com earlier this month.
"We were asked, 'Why not in all the matches?' and even more, 'Why not in all sports?'
"We had the possibility to see what the referee sees on the field of play. And this was not only for entertainment purposes, but also for coaching the referees (and) to explain why something was not seen on the field of play."
The cameras highlighted how a handball by an Atletico Madrid defender in their match against Paris St Germain could not be given onfield by the referee because his line of vision was blocked, with the VAR able to alert the on-field official.
In the meantime, other competitions around the world can now adopt this innovation, including domestic leagues.
Competitions wishing to participate in the extended trial will need to seek permission from the IFAB and from FIFA, who will provide detailed recommendations and technical information to help them use the technology effectively.
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The 42
4 hours ago
- The 42
'Connacht helped South Africa to win the World Cup'
IT WAS AUGUST 2007 and the mighty Springboks were in Galway. Jake White's side would go on to win the World Cup in imposing fashion a couple of months later but first, they had a warm-up game against the apparent minnows, Connacht. Michael Bradley's side were expected to be cannon fodder for the beefy, brutal South Africans. But Connacht had other ideas. They'd got wind of a relaxed approach to the game by the visitors. 'I think they were enjoying the culture in Galway a little bit too much,' says Andrew Farley, the Connacht captain at the time. 'We'd heard that they'd been out for a few nights in Galway sampling the local Guinness and stuff like that, so they were a little bit underdone.' Sitting outside the famous Breakfast Creek Hotel in his native Brisbane, Farley smiles at the thought of that game. Connacht lost but it was a battle at the Sportsground that spoke volumes of the province's ethos. The westerners' defence was brilliant and they trailed 3-0 at the break before Andy Dunne's penalty drew them back to within five points in the final quarter. Bismarck du Plessis was sin-binned for throwing a punch in frustration and the Boks had to call on big guns like Bryan Habana off the bench to finally get the job done and squeeze out an 18-3 victory in Galway. 'We helped them win the World Cup, that's what I always tell people,' says Farley. 'That's a great memory of ours in Connacht. It was fantastic.' Farley is part of the Connacht Clan Hall of Fame. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO Last Christmas was the first time since leaving the place in 2009 that Farley got back to Connacht for the sole purpose of visiting his old province. He had been in Galway in 2015 with French club Grenoble, where he played and managed after moving on from Ireland, but last year's trip was all about catching up with old friends. Second row Farley played for Connacht more than 150 times during a six-year spell that included two periods as captain, as well as a few appearances for Ireland A, so he has great grá for the place. He is part of the Connacht Clan's Hall of Fame. Farley took great pleasure in catching up with the likes of John Fogarty, Mike McCarthy, Bernard Jackman, Adrian Flavin, Tim Allnutt and many more while he and his family had a mini-tour of Europe, also visiting France and Wales, where his wife, Lucy, is from. Growing up in Brisbane, Farley could never have imagined the west of Ireland would play a big role in his life. He came through Marist College Ashgrove, the same school as the great John Eales, and played for Australia at U18, U19, and U21 levels. The Aussie back row in those teams was George Smith, Phil Waugh, and David Lyons, while Farley played against the likes of Richie McCaw, Mils Muliaina, and the late Jerry Collins in the U21 World Cup final, which New Zealand won. Advertisement Back then in the early 2000s, Australia only had three teams in Super Rugby, so it was tough for a young lock like Farley to break through given that the likes of Eales and Matt Cockbain were so established with his club, the Queensland Reds. Farley had already had two development stints abroad with Italian club L'Aquila and Kiwi side Otago when former Wallabies boss John Connelly called him and asked if he fancied moving to Wales to play for Swansea for another new experience. 'I was a young kid and just rocked up. That Swansea team was a savage team,' says Farley, listing off Scott Gibbs, Colin Charvis, Shaun Payne, Darren Morris, and a young Gavin Henson. Farley only had one season with Swansea and his intention was to go home but he got a call from fellow Australian Matt Mostyn, who was moving from Newport to Connacht in the summer of 2003. Farley carries the ball for Connacht. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO Next thing Farley knew, he was on the phone with Michael Bradley, who was taking over in Connacht in the wake of the province's march on Lansdowne Road to protest against the IRFU's plans to shut down the professional arm of the province. 'Michael told me that Connacht had just survived all the troubles that they'd had, that they'd got reinvestment and he asked me to come for a year,' says Farley. 'When he said, 'We've got security now,' I was kind of like, 'Security for what?' 'I didn't know a huge amount about the struggle and it was surprising to me but he sold me on the idea of a new project. Matt was going too and he's someone I'm still mates with now.' Nothing much had changed back in the Reds squad, so Queensland agreed for Farley to spend another year in Europe. He ended up taking over as Connacht captain the following season and spending six years there in total. Galway is certainly different to Brisbane but Farley loved the place, aside from the weather. 'Coming from Queensland, I was softened a little bit by Swansea, but like there's no doubting it – it rains a lot,' he says. 'But at heart, Galway is a very warm city. The people and the culture are great and I thoroughly enjoyed it.' That was a different time for Connacht, well before they could dream of winning the Pro12 as they did in 2013 under Pat Lam. The facilities were certainly nothing near the new high performance centre where Stuart Lancaster's team are now doing pre-season. And the current stadium redevelopment was not even close to being on the cards. The highlights in Farley's time were a few thrilling Challenge Cup runs and though they lost more games than they won, he felt like he fitted in. 'With Connacht, and it's sort of like a Queensland thing, you're always the underdog,' says Farley. Farley played for Ireland A three times. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO 'So you sort of use that as, 'Let's go and spoil the party.' I did like that mentality, it's a very similar mentality here in Queensland with the other states. 'There's quite a few Aussies that have gone over to Connacht and really enjoyed it. Canberra boys are used to the weather! Where would Mack Hansen be without Connacht now?' Farley qualified for Ireland on residency grounds in 2006 and the following year, Ireland head coach Eddie O'Sullivan gave him a shout. There were good second row stocks in Ireland with the likes of Paul O'Connell, Donncha O'Callaghan, Malcolm O'Kelly, and Mick O'Driscoll, among others, but Farley was keen and joined the squad for a few training camps and was then picked in the Ireland A squad for the 2007 Churchill Cup in England. It was a good experience playing alongside Johnny Sexton, Luke Fitzgerald, Keith Earls, Mike Ross, Sean Cronin, and some of his Connacht team-mates, but Farley admits it was a big decision to commit to Ireland. 'By choosing to take that path, I was locking myself out of Australia because then I became Irish-qualified and I could no longer obvously come back and play for Australia. 'But you know, I was captain of Connacht at the time and I made the decision and I don't regret it. I had a fantastic time.' Declan Kidney took over as Ireland boss in 2008 and Farley wasn't part of his plans. So when Grenoble made an approach in 2009, Farley's head was turned. He had turned 29 and reckoned he could play on for longer in French rugby. There was an ambitious plan in Grenoble. So it was that Farley and Lucy moved to France together and lived there for nine years, with all three of their children born there. Farley during his time with Grenoble. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO Farley played for the club more than 100 times across five seasons, then moved into a management role with Grenoble up until 2018. Initially after retiring from playing, Farley split his duties at Grenoble with working part-time in the club president's global engineering company. That experience proved important for Farley, who works with a company called BuildingPoint Australia these days. Life back in Brisbane is good. The Farley children – Ava, Sophia, and Tom – love growing up in Australia and their dad still has a core group of his old school friends to this day. Farley remains involved with rugby as a big supporter and also through a programme called the C2K Rugby Academy, which supports young players with position-specific training, mentoring, and advice. He has helped a couple of youngsters to find rugby opportunities in Europe through his contacts, knowing as he does that taking on an adventure on the other side of the world can be life-changing. 'I can't thank rugby enough,' says Farley. 'It's not until after rugby, when people mentor you and look after you, that you realise that you've learnt so much from playing. 'There are just so many examples from my career that enable me to be a good leader now. 'You've actually got a diploma in life from playing rugby.'
RTÉ News
6 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Preview: Lions stand on the verge of famous Wallabies whitewash
All week the Lions have insisted that their celebrations are behind them, having secured the Test series with a game to spare last week, and it's easy to believe them. Just 80 minutes separate them from being, statistically, one of the greatest sides in the 137-year history of the tour. It's not to say they are officially the greatest. The 1971 tourists stand alone as the only Lions group to ever win a series down in New Zealand, while the 1974 'Invincibles' will be forever remembered after their destruction of South Africa, going unbeaten across a 22-game tour, drawing their final Test against the Springboks in controversial circumstances. The numbers that this Lions group are chasing against Australia on Saturday are hard to ignore. To start with, they're only the third Lions group to win a series in the professional era and the first in 28 years to do so with a game to spare. It's just short of 100 years since they have won every Test match on tour, that coming on their 1927 tour of Argentina. You have to go all the way back to 1904 for the last time they whitewashed the Wallabies in a three-Test series. Saturday's game may be a dead-rubber in terms of the winning and losing of the series, but the manner of the Lions' win last week, and the fallout from Hugo Keenan's controversial try has ensured that interest in the series hasn't waned. If anything, the Australian public have got more behind their team in recent days. On Thursday, Rugby Australia confirmed that the 82,000 Accor Stadium was officially sold out. While it's only been idle talk, Australia's position among the Lions touring rotation had come under scrutiny this year, with the Wallabies holding a far weaker record against the Lions than the All Blacks and Springboks. But last week's second Test was a reminder if it was needed that Australia remains one of the world's great sporting nations. "Every single team, country, province, has their ups and downs but Australia – the sporting nation that they are – are always going to come back," Lions head coach Andy Farrell (below) said this week. "That on the weekend is no surprise to us, and why we expect them to be better. "Have a look at the year they've got coming up. They're going to be a force to be reckoned with, 100%, with all their experiences, come the World Cup in 2027. "It would be tragic not to tour here. We've had a blast. To me it's insulting to talk about it in that kind of way." Any lingering fears that the Lions would take their foot off the pedal this week were fully wiped away when Farrell named his matchday squad on Thursday. While the head coach has made two changes, he's resisted the temptation to hand out sentimental Test caps, making minor tweaks to a winning side, as Blair Kinghorn replaces James Lowe on the left wing and James Ryan comes into the starting team after an impressive showing off the bench a week ago in Melbourne. For Ryan, it caps off a Lions tour where he's found his best form down the stretch, having come into the summer carrying a minor injury. From being left out of the 23 for the first Test, he's worked his way up to the bench and then the starting side for this final game. His inclusion hints that Farrell wasn't pleased with how his side came out second best to the Wallabies physically in the first half last week, and while we shouldn't expect to see Ryan carrying much ball, he'll be given a bucket and shovel and sent to work clearing out rucks. "He's seen his niche in his game, and not trying to be somebody else," Farrell said of Ryan. "He does all the unseen work, all the graft stuff and has done it with a bit of venom in his game. "He's not tried to be a ball-playing forward like some of the second rows have been, but he hits hard defensively, and hits rucks really well, so we all need a bit of that." The physical toll of Saturday's game at the MCG is evident in Joe Schmidt's selection. One of his most trusted forwards, Allan Ala'alatoa, misses out with a shoulder injury, while Rob Valetini is also unavailable again. The back row missed the first Test with a calf injury, and although he was immense in the opening half last week on his return, his half-time substitution and absence this week hints that he was never truly fully fit for this series. Will Skelton does stay in the pack, and if he can repeat his performance from last week's first half it will again cause damage to the Lions, who have gone with a 6:2 split on their bench in a bid to deal with that physicality. The issue for the Wallabies last week, and again this week, will be their depth. While Langi Gleeson came on for Valetini and impressed, Jeremy Williams was no replacement for Skelton, and you could see the power balance shift as the second half wore on last week, to the point that they were hanging on by their fingernails before Hugo Keenan's try. Gleeson remains on the bench with Tom Hooper jettisoned into the starting blindside flanker spot, and Taniela Tupou comes in for the injured Ala'alatoa. A far more destructive presence than Ala'alatoa, the worry around Tupou is how many minutes he has in his legs. At hooker, they have been further depleted. David Porecki had been due to start but an injury to both he and Matt Faessler in training sees Billy Pollard start, and Brandon Paenga-Amosa step up onto the bench, having only joined up with the squad on Thursday. At out-half Tom Lynagh looked a far better player in the first half last week than he had been in the first Test, but once they lost their gainline threat, the 22-year-old's game management became an issue. 🦁 @jonnyholland10 is not surprised to see James Ryan rewarded for his cameo last weekend for the Lions as he prepares to start in the final test Full #RTERugby pod:🎧 — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 31, 2025 Lynagh starts again, and Schmidt has made a surprising call at scrum-half where he has included Nic White, with the 35-year-old set to make his final appearance for Australia. It's a sentimental call from Schmidt, particularly at the expense of Jake Gordon who was exceptional a week ago. In total, Schmidt has made four changes to his side, with Dylan Pietsch of the Western Force coming in to replace the injured Harry Potter on the left wing. The fear is that as closely fought as last week's second Test was, it's taken far more out of Australia than it has from the tourists, who now seem buoyed by the prospect of chasing a first unbeaten Test series unbeaten since 1974. Verdict: Lions Australia: Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Tom Lynagh, Nic White; James Slipper, Billy Pollard, Taniela Tupou; Nick Frost, Will Skelton; Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (capt). Replacements: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway. British and Irish Lions: Hugo Keenan; Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Bundee Aki, Blair Kinghorn; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Maro Itoje, James Ryan; Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan.
Irish Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
‘If Ireland are ever going to qualify for a major tournament again…'
Evan Ferguson can't stop scoring for his new club Roma in pre-season - and if he can bring that form into the new Serie A campaign, Ireland's World Cup prospects will suddenly look much brighter. That's the verdict of former Boys in Green striker Clinton Morrison, who has been impressed by the way the on-loan Brighton man has taken to life in Italy so far. Ferguson has scored six goals in just three friendlies, including a four-goal haul in his first appearance, which came against Serie D opposition. His latest strike was a classy finish into the bottom right-hand corner of the net to wrap up a 3-0 win against French side Cannes. According to Morrison, the move came at just the right time. 'He is at a stage in his career now where he needs to go and play football. At Brighton, he had a few injuries, and they're looking down a different route,' he said, speaking with Free Bets. 'They don't see him as the main number nine, which I don't agree with. I still think he's an exceptional player. 'He went to West Ham and didn't really get the opportunity to play as much as I thought he should have. 'So the move to Roma is fantastic for him—and for Ireland—especially with the World Cup qualifiers coming up. 'If Ireland are ever going to qualify for a major tournament again, we need Evan Ferguson fit, firing, and scoring goals. 'He's an exceptional young player, and you don't want him falling off the radar. This is a fantastic move.' It can be hard at times to remember that Ferguson is still just 20, given how long he has been in the spotlight. 'People think he's like 25 or 26, but it's because he came onto the scene so young,' Morrison said. 'He's got presence, he's good with his back to goal, he can link play, and he can score goals. So yeah, at 20 years of age, he's got loads of time. 'I just think going to Roma will be good. It's a culture shock, a different environment, but I think it'll be fantastic for him. 'You can go one way or the other in those situations, but I think he'll go up. 'Look at Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour—they've gone abroad and hit the ground running. I think Ferguson can do the same. Italians love goal scorers, and he'll definitely be a good one.' By the time the World Cup comes around next summer, it will be 24 years since Ireland's last appearance at the biggest tournament in football. And while there have been a couple of Euro qualifications - in 2012 and 2016 - Morrison is desperate to see the country back on the biggest stage of all. He was a member of the squad in 2002, when Robbie Keane's goals helped fire Ireland to a place in the last-16, where they lost on penalties to Spain. 'There'll be pressure on Ferguson, but if we've got a fit and hungry Evan Ferguson, we've got a real chance,' he said. 'And I want to see Ireland in a major tournament again.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .
