Hani Ballan to oversee the FIFA Club World Cup along with referees Collina and Busacca
Zurich
FIFA has announced the selection of Hani Taleb Ballan, Chairman of the Referees Committee of Qatar Football Association (QFA) and Vice-Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, to supervise the referees of the FIFA Club World Cup to be held in the United States from June 14 to July 13.
Ballan will be supervising the FIFA Club World Cup referees alongside Italian Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, and Massimo Busacca, Director of the Refereeing Department.
As many as 117 referees will be involved in officiating the tournament's matches, divided into 35 main referees, 58 assistant referees, and 24 video referees representing 41 national federations. They have been specially prepared for the tournament from all technical, physical, and medical aspects, ensuring they are fully prepared to officiate Club World Cup matches.
The tournament's referees attended a preparatory camp prior to the start of the competition. The camp included theoretical lectures, practical applications, and a football tournament, the 'Referees' Cup,' to prepare the referees for the official tournament.
The tournament is expected to feature automated offside and goal-line technology, as well as the installation of a camera on the referee's head, on a trial basis.
These cameras will provide live footage to the public, providing a great opportunity to offer a new viewing experience.
The tournament will also see the implementation of new rules aimed at reducing time-wasting by goalkeepers. The amended rules now stipulate that a corner kick will be awarded to the opposing team if the goalkeeper holds the ball for more than eight seconds. The referee will then use a clear hand gesture to start a five-second countdown, 'in contrast to the current procedure, which awards an indirect free kick after six seconds.'
It is worth noting that the tournament will witness the participation of four Qatari referees: Salman Falahi (referee), Ramzan Al Naimi and Majed Hedirs Al Shammari (assistant referees), and Khamis Al Marri (video assistant referee).
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