Ref body cams set to be trialled at Summer Series

The Premier League is likely to trial referee body cameras during the final round of matches at its Summer Series event in the US on Sunday.

World governing body Fifa allowed the cameras, which are attached to the referee along with his microphone, to be used at the recent Club World Cup.

Fifa's head of refereeing Pierluigi Collina said the results had "gone beyond our expectations" with the compelling footage it produced.

On Wednesday international law makers Ifab confirmed the trial can now be extended to competitions for professional teams outside of Fifa competitions.

That means the Premier League could bring it in for Sunday's games in Atlanta, when Thomas Bramall will take charge of Manchester United's game with Everton.

Providing two-thirds of clubs agree, it will be brought in for the forthcoming Premier League season, although how often it would be used is unclear.

Jarred Gillett became the first referee to wear a bodycam during a Premier League game in Crystal Palace's 4-0 win over Manchester United in May 2024.

It was permitted as a "one-off" to capture footage for a programme promoting match officials.

During the Club World Cup the technology showed how a handball by an Atletico Madrid defender in their match against Paris St-Germain could not be seen by the referee because his line of vision was blocked.

The video assistant referee (VAR) was able to alert the on-field official to the incident.