Premier League to broadcast referee-player audio during matches

Premier League fans will hear conversations between referees and players during live matches for the first time this season.

According to the Times, the new feature will build on the ‘Ref Cam’ system introduced last season, which allows referees to wear a small camera attached near the ear. 

Broadcasters have been able to show selected footage from the technology, but the accompanying conversations have only been released after matches.

That is set to change this season, with audio clips from selected referee-player exchanges played during live broadcasts. 

The audio will be available in one or two matches per round that use Ref Cam, although the feature will not begin until after the opening weeks of the season.

Rather than broadcasting conversations as they happen, selected audio will be played shortly after important incidents. 

However, there will be one major restriction. Under current International Football Association Board (IFAB) rules, conversations linked to incidents reviewed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) cannot be broadcast.

The Premier League says the move will give supporters a better understanding of how referees reach their decisions. 

Broadcasters, the Premier League and Pro Ref, the organisation responsible for refereeing in English professional football, will agree on the selected audio.

The league also plans to continue pushing IFAB to allow VAR-related referee conversations to be broadcast during matches. 

However, IFAB secretary and chief executive Lukas Brud has warned that introducing such audio could create a chaotic viewing experience and potentially put referees in an unsafe position.

Referee transparency will also increase in other areas this season. 

The Premier League will begin publishing weekly decisions from its Key Match Incident (KMI) panel, which reviews major refereeing decisions. 

The panel was established in 2022 and includes three former players or coaches, as well as representatives from the Premier League and Pro Ref. Its findings used to be kept private.

The league will also publish direct quotes from match officials on social media rather than relying on summaries of their explanations.