The Women’s World Cup will be the first major tournament where referees will explain VAR decisions using a TV monitor live to spectators in the stadium and viewers at home.
It was first trialled at the men’s Club World Cup but the women’s showpiece, beginning in New Zealand and Australia on Thursday, is by far the biggest event when the system is adopted.
FIFA’s referee committee chairman Pierluigi Collina said it would bring “more transparency” and “more understanding” of the decisions around video reviews.
Collina also called upon all teams to show respect and fairness for each other.
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The whistleman told reporters there had been meetings with the 32 participating teams, when asked about last week’s incident in which Ireland abandoned a tune-up game against Colombia claiming the South Americans had played in an overly physical manner.
“We want all of us to speak the same language. They know that the players on the pitch cannot play in such a way that they endanger the health of their opponents. We want to protect the health of the players,” Collina said.
FIFA on Tuesday appointed Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita referee for the first game between New Zealand and Norway, and Edina Alvez of Brazil will officiate Thursday’s other game between Australia and Ireland.
-DPA
