Referee Jarred Gillett will carry a camera live during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Manchester United Sky Sports.
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Gillett will wear a head-mounted ‘RefCam’ for the first time in the Premier League at Selhurst Park.
The technology has been approved by football regulator IFAB as well as the Premier League referees panel PGMOL and both clubs for use in Monday’s game.
But the Premier League said Gillett would only wear the shirt as part of filming “for a one-off short program to promote match officials”.
The footage from Gillett’s camera will not be broadcast live but will be shown later in the year as part of a program “aimed at providing further insight and education into the demands of officiating in the Premier League”.
The technology was previously attached to the referee’s chest, but Gillett will wear a head-mounted device that connects to the officials’ usual communications system.
Has “RefCam” been used before?
Referee Rob Jones wore a camera on his chest during a pre-season game between Chelsea and Brighton in Philadelphia last summer.
During another Summer Series warm-up game, referee Peter Bankes scored a stunning goal from Harry Wilson for Fulham.
“RefCam” was also introduced in the German Bundesliga this season. Match official Daniel Schlager carried a camera during Frankfurt’s 2-2 draw with Wolfsburg in March, which featured early goals, yellow cards and an injury-time equalizer.
A camera was connected to Schlager’s headset, which filmed the game from his perspective, while an audio transmission conveyed his conversations on the field.
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Experience the Bundesliga from the referee’s perspective with Daniel Schlager with referee camera in the game between Eintracht Frankfurt and VfL Wolfsburg. #Bundesliga
In another attempt to provide insight into the refereeing experience, Emily Heaslip was recorded using a microphone for the first time in Sky Sports history during a WSL match between Chelsea and Reading.
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For the first time in Sky Sports history, referee Emily Heaslip was on the microphone during the WSL game between Chelsea and Reading.
Referee body cameras tested in grassroots football
In fact, the Football Association (FA) launched a trial of referee body cameras in adult grassroots football in February 2023.
The test, which the FA said was the first of its kind in the world, saw 100 referees from four leagues – starting in Middlesbrough – don the kit following approval from the IFAB.
Body cameras – which were later included in the FA’s official refereeing strategy for 2023-26 – are also currently being trialled in leagues in Liverpool, Essex and Worcestershire.
The FA said the aim of the trial was to investigate whether the use of body cameras “improves participant behavior and respect for referees in grassroots football”.
Speaking to the FA last summer after three months of reviews, referee development officer Ross Joyce said: “This process was clearly a statement of intent by the FA to better support and protect match officials.”
“Players have commented that this has had an impact on their behavior and influenced their behavior towards referees, particularly when making subjective decisions.”
“The feedback from our referees has been equally positive… every referee has commented that they feel more comfortable and confident.”
Dermot Gallagher’s verdict: RefCam “will open eyes”
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Dermot Gallagher believes the one-off RefCam being used in tonight’s Premier League game between Crystal Palace and Manchester United will help educate fans
Before the game: former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher said on Ref Watch that the footage would “open people’s eyes.”
“It will show a lot of things that people don’t realize,” he said.
“There was an incident at Burnley on Saturday when Burnley wanted a penalty and if the referee had turned on a head camera you would have seen what he saw and that is completely different to what you would see as a spectator.”
“It will open people’s eyes a little bit to see what it’s for and how educational it will be.”
fellow Sky Sports Pundit Stephen Warnock said: “As long as it’s used correctly, I like the sound of it. We always try to find ways to progress the game and help the referees. I’m really looking forward to seeing it from a positional perspective.”