Howard Webb says next season could see referees explain decision review changes to the crowd


 
 
 
 
 
 

An interesting one from Howard Webb.

With the head of PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) saying that as early as next season, we could see Premier League referees allowed to explain some of their decisions to the crowd inside a stadium for the first time.

At the moment, the IFAB (International Football Association Board) rules forbid any discussions between match officials to be played live inside a stadium.

Howard Webb and PGMOL are pushing for this to change in the years to come.

In the meantime though, Howard Webb thinks that starting next season, it might be possible for Premier League referees to explain their decision to the crowd inside the stadium, whenever they are called over by the VAR to review an incident on the pitchside monitor.

However, if this is deemed allowed to happen, that would be the only circumstance in which a Premier League referee would be allowed to speak directly to the crowd.

Howard Webb talking on Match Officials Mic’d Up about why conversations between match officials can’t listened into by the fans at Premier League matches – 30 April 2024:

“It’s complicated, because IFAB (International Football Association Board), the people who make the rules of the game, have never allowed live audio between match officials to be played to the crowd.

“The PGMOL would like that to happen. IFAB won’t allow it.”

However, despite those IFAB rules, Howard Webb says he thinks it could be possible, as early as next season, for Premier League referees when they’re called over to the screen to review a decision, to then explain, if they are changing that decision, why they are changing it to the fans:

“So by next season, we might see, for the first time, the referee for the first time talk directly to the crowd to explain their decisions.”