German Football Leagues Implement FIFA’s Referee Communication Experiment

Starting from the 20th matchday, referees in Germany’s top two football leagues will begin publicly announcing their decisions following Video Assistant Referee (VAR) interventions. This initiative comes as the German Football League (DFL) joins FIFA’s experimental program aimed at improving transparency in officiating.

While not all clubs have agreed to participate, the new system will be tested at nine stadiums. These venues are home to prominent teams such as Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt, Freiburg, Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Greuther Fürth, and St. Pauli.

According to the DFL’s press release, the upcoming weekend matches where these announcements may be heard include Fortuna Düsseldorf vs. Ulm, Bayern Munich vs. Holstein Kiel, St. Pauli vs. Augsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Wolfsburg, and Bayer Leverkusen vs. Hoffenheim. This move represents a significant step towards enhancing the spectator experience and understanding of crucial on-field decisions in German football.